Break the Ice
by mimithenumberon
Summary: In a last attempt to melt the ice around Loki's heart Thor considers the most powerful weapon in the whole of creation. Love. But will Loki's soul mate return his love? Therein lies the tricky part... Warning: MATURE SEXUAL CONTENTS!, M/M, Slight Bad Language. I hope u like it and please review! ENJOY! XD
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: MATURE SEXUAL CONTENTS! (but that comes at a later chapter and I'll warn you about it again XD), M/M, Slight Bad Language **

**This was a request by _kimmy cakes_ so have fun with this u beautiful mind u! XD That applies to all of u awesome readers btw! X3 I sincerely hope u like it and if u can, please leave a review. This story has a grand total of 10 chapters and since they're all already written i can tell you for sure that i'll update regularly every weekend! XD (It feels good to make a promise that i can actually keep...)**

**And now a little mythology lesson: **

***Æsir-the term denoting a member of the principal pantheon in Norse mythology. This pantheon includes Odin, Frigg(Frigga), Thor, Baldr and Tyr. Interestingly enough Loki is sometimes considered part of the ****Æsir but most times he is called the backbiter and considered the disgrace of men and gods. **

***Freya- Goddess of love, fertility, and battle. **

**Also, I do NOT own the Avengers or any of the characters! **

_**1**_

Thor had many talents, not least of which was the ability to flip any table no matter how laden with goods in a perfect 180 arc in one of his numerous fits, but subtlety was not one of them. Loki kept his eyes closed, nearly breaking the illusion of being asleep by his desire to sneer at the other man. He inhaled deep and steady breaths as if blissfully oblivious to the worries of the world around him for a few hours while he wandered the land of dreams. Pretending to be unconscious was the first lie he'd perfected, back when he was a young boy and he'd had to share a room with his so called brother. On occasion the god of thunder would talk to him, sharing some of his secrets, under the false belief that his words were falling on deaf ears. He hadn't been as devious back then and rarely used the acquired knowledge to his advantage but still, Loki had always understood the power of words and their destructive potential. After all, the pen is mightier than the sword...

It was very late in the night, though time lost its meaning in the dungeons of Asgard. The only reason he knew about it at all was because the guards shifted every five hours and he'd kept count, taking advantage of any scarce distraction he could. By his count it must have been a few hours before sunrise, when the entire kingdom was so silent one could hear the song of the sea and the murmur of the leaves. He'd always loved the night best, sometimes reading in one of the palace balconies until the first fiery rays of light even if it meant a shorter temper and even lower tolerance for Thor's everything. If there was one thing he missed, it was that. He missed listening to the whispers of the dark, a beckoning which only he seemed to notice. But he was a patient man and he knew he was going to walk freely again...and soon. No confinements, not even the renowned cells of the Æsir, could keep Loki from wreaking havoc. Was he not the god of chaos after all?

'What happened to you brother of mine?' Thor's hushed voice nearly made Loki jump, having been lost on the path of his own thoughts. It was only his ability to so easily wear a mask which kept his breathing even and his visage undisturbed. He yearned to growl a reply to Thor's foolish question, to point out the ones who were to blame for his so called transformation but the silence was unbroken until Thor spoke again.

'I know what you would say. You would blame me or father and perhaps you are right. Maybe I failed you and for that I am sorry. I wish I could have done things differently and you may have been spared this punishment. Why couldn't you confide in me before you acted so... ?' Loki could picture Thor's eyebrows knitting together in search for the right words. He'd never been especially gifted at that... The silent insult did little to clear the lump he felt in his throat, choking him slowly. He hated Thor. He hated him even more because the future king understood him best of all. He hated him because he knew Thor was speaking the absolute truth. The man genuinely wished he could help his runt of a brother and spare him the spiralling fall to his own self-destruction. Oh how gallant of him. Loki wanted to spit in his face and turn him into a rat.

'It was stupid Loki. I can't understand how someone as intelligent as yourself could be so stupid.' The impulse to act on his desires was becoming increasingly hard to reign back. He couldn't have used his magic, curtsy of the magic restraining runes inscribed into the walls of his _room_, but his tongue was as sharp as a blade and he could have sent Thor off with wounds to lick. Still, he resisted. He was curious to hear what Thor's true purpose was. At least, he hoped the prince was here for an actual reason not that hearing his heart-wrenching, self-pitying soliloquy wasn't entertaining enough...

'Mother and I have tried to plead with Father on your behalf but it will do no good if you aren't repentant. I know you have a good heart Loki, even if you yourself deny it. All those years couldn't have been only a lie. Even you are not that skilled. We grew up together and loved each other and became a family, blood be damned.' If he'd heard this once, he'd heard it a hundred times. Loki's eyes rolled under his closed lids, though his heart did constrict in a painful way. He ignored it.

'But there's one last thing I want to try. You deserve another chance brother.' Loki's ears strained to hear more but just when Thor said something mildly interesting, that's when he had to leave. The trickster's eyes opened lazily, the corner of his vision catching a glimpse of red before Thor left his line of vision. Now what could Thor mean and how could he take advantage of it?...

A dazzlingly white smile curved the corners of his thin lips before he allowed sleep to carry him into pleasant dreams of sitting on a golden throne with the god of thunder begging for forgiveness on his knees.

* * *

Thor took a deep breath, his fourth consecutive one, to calm his nerves. He wasn't the type to get nervous usually but even he had his moments. And they almost always cantered around having to talk with his mother. She could always see right through him like he was an open book, much like Loki. Well, he'd always been bad at lying or masking his emotions but his mother had the terrifying ability to read his mind, or so it seemed. He loved her immensely but he had always been more eager to please Odin more than her, unlike Loki. He couldn't help comparing everything he'd ever done or did to Loki's actions after visiting his cell the previous night. In hindsight he wasn't sure what drove him to do such a thing... Everything he'd said was the truth and nothing but the truth of course but he couldn't deny his anger and sorrow at the other's actions. It wasn't because he was new to destruction or war or death, but because Loki had destroyed the lives of countless innocents unprovoked. Even before Odin's, albeit justified, punishment to strip him of his godly powers Thor had a deep hatred of people who hurt other simply for the sake of fun. He knew Loki wasn't quite that monstrous but still...

He shook his head, reminding himself of his true purpose that morning. He knew Odin would be at a meeting, a very important one, because he was supposed to be at it as well. He'd apologise later... And promise not to do it again though that was a lie and Odin would let him go with a verbal reprimand as he always did. Come to think of it, he'd rarely been as forgiving with Loki when he misbehaved... The more he thought about it the more he began to belive Loki's accusations at the address of their father weren't entirely the ravings of a lunatic. He'd been there when Loki was brought before the throne, chained like a criminal, and Odin told him his faith had been to die. And wasn't Odin the one who raised both of them with the belief that the Jotun were savage brutes, all the time aware of Loki's true heritage? There were many doubts sprouting like weeds inside Thor's restless mind, mostly sewed by his adopted brother's poisonous words, but he resolved to deal with them one at a time. Firstly, he would try this last tactic to melt the ice around Loki's heart and if this failed too then... He didn't wish to think of that outcome.

Taking his last calming breath, as useless as all the other ones, he knocked against the door to his parent's bedroom. He felt like he was a young lad again, bothering his father for another story of a glorious battle. But he was looking for his mother this time and a second later he heard her clear voice granting him permission to enter. He pushed the door open, taking his time with every movement, acting like anything but his normal self. Even a blind man could have seen something was on his mind and Frigga's sight was as sharp as a hawk's.

'This is about Loki is it not?' Thor only managed to take a step inside the spacious room and he was already dumb struck by his mother's words. His mouth opened but he was at a loss of what to say. If ever there was a doubt that his mother had the ability to read his mind it was gone now! 'Oh don't look so surprised.' She laughed softly, a sound so pretty it was sure to make the birds of spring jealous. 'You always fidget like a young boy outside the door when you want to talk about him. And don't think I didn't know you were procrastinating for the better part of the last hour.' Her smile could melt snow, he was certain of it, and it was probably why she was the only one who still held a piece of Loki's heart.

'So much for my trying to think of a way to approach the subject...' He grinned too before he ventured further inside. Frigga was sitting on a chair by the window with an opened book resting on her lap. He recognised it as the same book from which she used to read to him and Loki when they were young and too restless to fall asleep. It was a collection of poems, mostly about the changing seasons and how it affected the delicate balance of nature, and though he never had a great love for that sort of thing, Frigga's melodious voice always managed to transport his into the portrait pained by the beautiful words. He usually fell asleep after the first verse but he knew his mother would continue to read, probably for Loki's benefit. He wondered if Loki remembered that chapter of their lives...

'Sometimes I think he's the only subject you have to think of before approaching. You used to come to us and beg for forgiveness on Loki's behalf when he'd pull one of his tricks, sometimes before we even realized what he'd done. I have a feeling that hasn't changed.' Her smile turned a shade sadder and Thor hung his head, feeling shame all of a sudden for some inexplicable reason. It wasn't because he didn't firmly believe Loki could change but because of his previous thoughts directed at his father. He would have never doubted the Allfather before, even if he told him to jump off a cliff. One problem at a time...

'No, it has not. Though I am not here to beg for his forgiveness because I know his actions cannot be forgiven. But perhaps, he can atone better if he wasn't locked up.' Frigga didn't bat an eye at her son's suggestion. She'd been mirroring his thoughts though Thor didn't know that and he mistook her expression for one of doubt. 'I cannot excuse his...latest antics but I know, in my heart, that he can change. You always taught us to be true to our hearts.' He felt silent, waiting for his mother to undoubtedly tell him he was insane. Instead she kept silent, her fingers unconsciously moving along the spine of the forgotten book. Her eyes had a faraway look in them and Thor knew she was remembering something. He hoped she'd think of Loki back when he was a small little thing running to hide behind her because a horse in the stables frightened him, or when he'd look sheepish because Thor pushed him in a puddle of mud and he got his clothes all dirty, or even that one incident when he'd ran crying to the very room they were in currently because he'd had a terrible nightmare and Frigga let him crawl into bed with her since Odin was away on some kingly business or other.

'What did you have in mind?' Her gaze re-focused so sharply Thor swallowed his words. It still amazed him how such a kind and caring creature was capable of such piercing looks. He also wasn't a stranger to his mother's sword fighting nor her ability to cast illusions as strong, if not more so, as Loki's. She wasn't someone to be messed with which was why Odin had no fear of leaving the kingdom in her capable hands whenever he had to visit other realms.

'You and I both know the one thing which Loki has always hungered for is love. He craved attention and acceptance ever since he was a toddler, though I was too ignorant to realise it back then, and I doubt he understood this desire much himself. I think he's still after that same thing.' They did say love was the strongest weapon of all and Thor understood all too well how crazy that feeling or the lack of that feeling could drive someone. He only had to think of Jane and he was certain he would do any amount of idiotic things to keep her safe. The hold she had over him was terrifying and euphoric at the same time and he suffered a pang of guilt at not having visited her since the New Mexico fiasco. Before he'd had the excuse of the Bifrost being damaged but that was no longer the case and he had been to Midgard to retrieve his wayward brother... He added this to his growing list of problems.

'You always knew Loki best.' Frigga smiled to herself, her eyes falling on the bright green binding of the poem book under her restless hand. 'I believe you're right Thor. Love is the one thing which can move mountains and shape someone's heart into the most beautiful thing. But how do you suppose to make Loki see this when he wouldn't listen to a single word we say?' She recognised the glint in her son's eyes. He had a plan all right, and it was probably something either against the law or very risky. Knowing Thor, probably both.

'My thoughts ran along the line of a love potion.' Yes, both. She shook her head in disbelief but her smile remained across her lips. Love potions were extremely tricky concoctions and technically speaking considered outside the boundaries of the law. There were exceptions...but for something like cracking Loki's heart of stone it was pretty much illegal.

'I hope you realize the risks involved in something like this.' Love was an emotion few dared meddle with. True love, not the cheap mesmerism which had a fleeting effect and always backfired, had to be treated delicately as one would a cornered animal. It was quick to bite if one got too close and did something to frighten it even in the slightest. If someone ingested a love potion and the love wasn't returned, hatred would quickly grow and destroy any hope of that person ever feeling love again. It was a very tricky business and if Loki, who was already walking a very tight line, became consumed by hate the outcomes would be... There was no word horrifying enough in existence to describe it. Frigga couldn't suppress a slight shiver at the thought. Thor had a sober look as well, having been kept awake nights on end by the same haunting possibility.

'It won't come to that.' He sounded far more certain than he actually felt. Anyone in the nine realms could turn out to be Loki's love interest and what was more, the love potion only worked on the one who drank it and not the other half. Loki would have to make that person, his soul mate, return his feelings and that was where the true trouble laid.

'I hope for all our sakes that you are right.' It took Thor a moment to register Frigga's words. He glanced at his mother, a little surprised at the ease with which she accepted his daring idea.

'You'll help?' She smiled that dazzling smile of hers again and rose to her feet, the azure material of her dress falling elegantly around her figure.

'You know I will Thor. Loki is my son, no matter what he says or does, that will never change. If there is a way, even one as risky as this, to set him on the righteous path once more than you know I will do all I can to help.' In that moment she looked every bit the fierce queen and mother she was. Thor felt like dropping to his knees in respect and his chest swelled with pride at being this woman's flesh and blood.

'What about father?' Thor was certain Odin would deny his request without a second thought. He wasn't the forgiving type and especially so when it came to Loki. He would never take a risk such as this for the younger prince of Asgard. Thor felt yet more guilt at the knowledge that his father wouldn't hesitate to take even a greater risk if his freedom was on the line...

'Don't you worry about your father. I shall take care of him.' Thor released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He'd hoped Frigga would say something to that effect since, despite popular belief, she was behind a great many of Odin's decisions. She was the ruler in the shadows and a fine ruler indeed. If there was anyone in the nine realms who could sway Odin to change his mind it was her.

'How will we get the potion?' He hadn't expected for his wish to be granted so freely and in all honesty his plan ended there... He hadn't thought this far ahead yet. He scratched the back of his head in embracement and Frigga chuckled at her son's typical mannerism. Oh how like him to dive head first into such an important decision without thinking the situation all the way through... Some things really never changed.

'Don't worry about that either. Freya owes me a favour.' Her smile turned strange and Thor found his eyebrows kitted in a curious frown but Frigga wasn't going to say anything else on that subject. 'You'll have to get Loki to drink it yourself though. I'll keep Odin distracted.' Thor nodded his head in agreement, having absolutely no idea how he was going to get Loki to do anything when the very sight of him sent the trickster in a fit. Well, he still had a few days to plan that step and considering he was as good a tactician as a duck, he needed every second.

'Thank you mother.' She looked at him with nothing but love before she embraced him and he returned the show of affection.

'You need not thank me Thor. I'm doing what any parent would for their child. One day, you will understand.' Thor couldn't see himself as a father so he didn't dwell on the thought but he filed Frigga's words for later consideration. When she let him go he bowed his head slightly before turning to leave only to be stopped by his mother's final parting warning.

'And don't forget there are other who are willing to help you, no matter how insane your endeavour.'

* * *

**I hope u liked it! Look forward to the next ch this weekend and i will look forward to your lovely reviews! X3**

**HAVE A LOVELY DAY! **


	2. Chapter 2

**As promised, here's chapter 2! XD Thank you very very very much to those who left a review already! They were all very much appreciated and it would be really nice if u continued that... (hint, hint) XD **

**Well, have fun and ENJOY! **

_**2**_

Thor hadn't slept properly for the past three days and it showed. He had never been a particularly tidy man but his hair was on a whole new level of messy even for him. He ran a hand over his haggard face, the black circles under his eyes giving him a very Loki like look. The pint of ale sat untouched in front of him and Sif raised an eyebrow at the behaviour. It didn't take a scrying crystal to realize something was bothering the usually carefree god of thunder. She was willing to bet good money this was about the second prince... They were waiting for the Warriors Three to join them and it didn't seem like Thor was going to break the surprisingly awkward silence between them.

The first to show up was Hogun. Sif had to raise her eyes to the skies in mock thanks. He gave a brief nod of greeting, which Thor returned before he drifted in that state of melancholy he seemed to favour lately, and the worrier took a seat. He glanced at Sif and she caught his eye. The question was obvious but she had no answer so she shrugged her shoulders and the unspoken vow of silence resumed. She began fidgeting with her fingers, patience having unfortunately never been one of her virtues.

'Dear me, I was under the impression we were meeting for drinks not a funeral.' Sif looked up so sharply, her neck creaked in protest. She never thought she'd be so happy to see Fandral or his cocky grin or his flamboyant, swaying stride.

'What took you so long?' Hogun moved over to make room for the new comer and the blond took a seat beside Thor. The future king didn't break his trance for him but he didn't seem to mind, though he did throw the untouched ale a curious glance.

'I wasn't that late. I was simply _fashionably _late.' Sif was in the process of taking a seep from her own drink and she snorted at the other's words in a very unlady like fashion. Spending so much time around soldiers and men in general was having a very bad influence on her... The though only made her grin wider. She could behave very lady like if necessary but she didn't particularly like it. She even had to leave her sword behind on certain occasions and she always felt naked without the blade's protection, though she always sneaked a few knives under her rich fabrics. She was a goddess of war and one could never be too prepared...

'You were bothering some poor girl weren't you?' Fandral widened his eyes in mock horror at her words and it brought a smile even to Hogun's stoic lips.

'Me? Bothering? I take great offence at such accusations and I hope you know you've hurt me deeply.' He crossed his arms across his chest and frowned exaggeratingly, his eyes breaking the illusion with their spark of merriment.

'She said no.' Hogun spoke rarely but he was by no means the sort to miss an opportunity to have a little fun at his friend's expense. Sif watched Fandral carefully, waiting for his confirmation or denial, and he sighed before abandoning his act.

'Actually she said she is spoken for but wouldn't mind meeting me once the sun sets. Of course I had to dash her hopes since I am not a man who will chase another's love.' Sif burst into a stream of hearty laughter which drew the other two in after her, Thor still miles away in his own maze of contemplations.

'If she was so eager to take a tumble with you she is not in love.' Sif took another seep of her drink, the bitter taste coating her tongue and cooling it pleasantly.

'Or I'm just _that_ charming.' Hogun and Sif both rolled their eyes in union.

'Who's charming?' Volstagg's rumbling voice brought all their gazes to the last arriver of their little congregation. He huffed and his face was red in that way it got whenever he had to run for more than a mile. He swiped the back of his hand across his forehead as he took the last seat available, between Hogun and Sif. She had to move closer to Thor for the heavily-built warrior to fit.

'Do you have to ask?' Fandral flashed him a dazzling smile and Volstagg grunted in understanding. He signalled to one of the waiting women to bring them all another round of drinks, his eyes falling on Thor's untouched one.

'Well we're all here Thor. What did you want to talk to us about?' Sif looked intently at the future king and the other three turned towards their friend as well. Their expressions immediately turned sober, the abandoned beverage hinting at the seriousness of the situation. They all had a fairly good guess as to the reason and it involved a particularly troublesome prankster...

'It's about Loki.' Neither missed a beat having guessed so much already. There was only one thing which could bring Thor into that state for so long, or one person. In all honesty Sif couldn't understand why Thor was so forgiving and blind when it came to his younger sibling, who wasn't in fact even that much. It wasn't like she wasn't a forgiving person or she hated Loki, though she didn't have a particularly soft spot for him either, but he'd crossed the line so many times before and Thor was willing to let him do it all over again? It was madness! Yet she kept her tongue, albeit with some difficulty, aware the blond prince would get defensive of his little brother who had to be protected. Ha!

'You are planning on doing something crazy.' Thor locked eyes with Fandral. It wasn't a question. 'How can we help?' He rubbed his hands together and grinned widely, as if they were discussing the food choice for the next festivity, and Thor let loose a relieved bark of laughter. Frigga had been right in her final advice. There were few who were willing to risk much for Loki but for Thor?... That was another story altogether.

'I believe Loki can change and I'm willing to try one last time to make that happen. If this fails then we are all doomed.' The four exchanged glances while Thor took a deep breath, preparing himself for what was to come.

'What is it?' Sif tried to contain her impatience but it was a losing battle. When Thor began to speak again they leaned in closer to him, like children allowed to hear a secret.

'A love potion.' The thunderer's words were barely a murmur and they all had to take a moment before the three small words made any sense.

'Are you insane?!' Sif pushed the question through ground teeth, bared as if ready to bite Thor's head off. He wouldn't put it past her...

'He deserves a second chance.' The goddess of war opened her mouth in disbelief. The warrior three chose to tactfully stay out of this part of the argument, at least until the two calmed down a little. They'd learned early how dangerous it was to get in between Thor and Sif. One had a better chance at surviving if they braved a snow storm in nothing but their boots.

'And he got a second chance, and a third one, and a forth one. I lost count at a hundred to be honest. Loki's always been a trouble-maker and his latest crime was only the tip of the mountain. You know this, The Allfather knows this, even he probably knows this!' Thor's jaw clenched hard enough for the muscles along it to cord out visibly and Fandral moved a little further away. Hogun glanced wearily at the ceiling expecting a chain of lightning to hit the inn, called forth by Thor's storming fury. Volstagg simply moved his eyes from one speaker to the other, wishing desperately there was something to eat. He always got hungry when he was nervous...

'You don't know him. You never bothered to know him. He's...complicated!' Thor was all the more infuriated because he couldn't deny Sif's harsh words.

'He's complicated. Who isn't? What makes him worth the risk?' She looked carefully at him and Thor returned the narrowed stare. He considered his next words carefully.

'Because he is my brother.' A heavy silence fell across their table, the noise from the rest of the drinking visitors drowned out. The waitress Volstagg had signalled before approached them and placed five mugs before them, her fingers moving as quickly as possible in their eagerness to leave the terrifying atmosphere created by the two gods. Fandral smiled at her but even his usually flawless charm was a little strained. She left without saying a word.

'Well, let's think of it this way. Loki is going to be the death of Asgard anyway, probably. That cell is not going to keep him still for long. I'm actually a little surprised he hasn't escaped yet! This may be our last chance to prevent a catastrophe.' Fandral cleared his throat while Volstagg nodded enthusiastically at his suggestion. Sif turned to face him and the blond swallowed audibly.

'You agree with this insanity?' Hogun took a swing of his ale, yearning for the calming effect of the alcohol.

'I agree with helping Thor. If he's considered all the possibilities and believes this is the right thing to do then yes, I agree.' The other two gave a subtle nod of their heads and Thor smirked triumphantly at Sif. It wasn't a contest or anything but old habits die hard... It wasn't the first time they'd had to choose sides between Thor and Sif for some silly disagreement or other, but it had never been as serious before. They were all aware of the consequences should the love potion fail, especially on someone as creatively twisted and psychotic as Loki. No pressure...

'Where are you going to get your hands on a love potion anyway?' Sif rubbed her fingers across her temple, massaging the headache already beginning to grow. The corners of Thor's lips curved into a knowing smile.

'Mother said Freya owed her a favour.' The four widened their eyes in perfect synchronization.

'Wait, your mother agreed to this?' Volstagg nearly choked on the ale as he asked the question. Thor nodded.

'The queen. The queen of Asgard agreed to this?' Sif's headache intensified in the snap of a finger. Thor nodded again.

'If the queen agrees then I don't see any further reason not to give our own aid. I'm in.' Fandral leaned back in his chair.

'Me too.' Hogun added his own contribution to the conversation, immediately followed by Volstagg's hearty agreement and finally a reluctant one from Sif.

'I have the potion in my possession already but I don't know how to convince Loki to drink it. This is where I need your help.' Thor cast his mind back to the tiny glass container hidden under lock and key in his chambers. The liquid was clear, like water, and seemed completely unimpressive with the exception of a fain glow radiating through the transparent glass. Freya told him it was flavourless and odourless as well... Who could think such a simple looking thing could have such enormous results?

'How about being honest?' Hogun's suggestion kept them in silence for all of two seconds before they all burst into laughter.

'Thank you my friend. I needed a good laugh.' Thor shook his head merrily before adapting his serious expression once more.

'You could slip it in his food and water.' Volstagg looked pleased with himself but Thor shook his head.

'Freya told me it can't be contaminated with any other substance. The potion has to be drunk straight from the phial.' Why would Lady Fate make things easier for him?

'Of course your first thought had to be of food. I'm not even surprised anymore.' Volstagg threw Fandral a nasty glare but the blond simply smirked.

'Why don't you hold him down and force him to drink it?' The men turned to stare at Sif, apprehension clear in their eyes. She met their gazes with a shrug. 'What? It's a possibility.'

'Let us...keep that as a last option. Besides, Freya said it would work better and faster if Loki took it willingly.' They contemplated their options, staring at the table between them.

'This is difficult.' Hogun's matter of fact voice almost drew a smirk out of Thor.

'Now you know why it has been keeping me awake at night and why I need your help. I'm certain the five of us can think of something...'

'Usually it's Loki who comes up with the plans and tricks...' Volstagg let the sentence trail and for a moment all the members felt a pang of sadness and loss at Loki's absence. Sure he was a pain in the backside but he was also a member of their group, sometimes. He'd helped Asgard in the past as much as he'd caused trouble and sometimes it was easy to forget that part. Sif felt extra guilty and she sighed in defeat, letting the rest of her resistance to Thor's plan drift away.

'I think I have it!' The charmer's sudden burst of excitement made Volstagg jump slightly and he threw Fandral another narrowed look. 'If you want to trick Loki you will have to use his greatest weakness against him.'

'His vanity.' Thor glanced from Fandral to Hogun, interested in what they had to say. It seemed like a promising idea and the blond continued, loved the centre of attention.

'Exactly right. Loki will never agree to willingly take anything you give him but he might be tricked into it. He won't take an unnecessary risk, even if he claimed on several occasions love potions were useless and he doesn't believe in their power, but if you bait him with his freedom...' He trailed off and Sif continued, her quick wit able to see exactly where Fandral was leading them.

'You are going to let him free anyway, once he takes the potion, but he doesn't know that. Use it to your advantage.' She grinned wickedly, a part of her wishing she was the one who would have the opportunity to give Loki a taste of his own medicine. Tricking a trickster...That sounded like great fun!

'But be careful about it. He is the god of lies after all and if you give even the slightest hint of being dishonest he will know.' Fandral nodded in agreement with Hogun's advice.

'What they said.' Volstagg felt like he should throw his own weight into the game, even if he hadn't been able to guess his friends' plot in the slightest. Wittiness wasn't high on his list of abilities.

'This might actually work. It's the best we have so far anyway...' Thor felt a huge weight being lifted from his shoulder. He raised one of his cups and the other four raised their own to meet his. Ale spilled across the wood and the five threw the drinks back. Thor finished his and took up his second one, laughing with the rest of them. They all thought the same thing when he brought the mug to his lips. Thor was back to his usual self and for a few hours they could drown their worries in bountiful alcohol.

* * *

Thor stumbled his way to his room later that day, not quite drunk enough to look like a complete buffoon but not far behind either. It felt good to leave his worries behind for a little while but as soon as he spotted the small chest in the corner of his room, the list of problems returned. He made his way to it and ran his hands over the beautiful hand-made carvings inscribed in the oak. It had been a gift from Frigga a few years back and it was one of the few possessions that didn't have a tie to fighting which he treasured. She'd inscribed it with magical runes which allowed only him to open the small box and as soon as he thought of it, there was a resonating click and he pushed the lid up gently.

There it was, his last hope. The potion looked more magical in the darkness, the only source of light in his room coming from a flickering candle by his bed. The glow was stronger and more defined, giving the phial a warm quality but when Thor placed his hand on it, it was as cool as any piece of glass. He brought it closer to his face, inspecting the gleaming concoction. There couldn't have been more than one mouthful of liquid housed inside the flask. He looked at it for a few more minutes before he placed it back across the red cushion lining the chest and closed the lid on it once more.

'Tomorrow night Loki, you will be a free man.'

* * *

**Oh yeah...Loki will be a free man alright... XD **

**Well, i sincerely hoped you liked it and i would greatly appreciate it if u could find the time to leave a review! X3 Thank You in advance! **

**HAVE A LOVELY DAY! **


	3. Chapter 3

**And here we are with a brand new chapter! XD I'd like to take a second and THANK YOU kindly to all of u who left a review thus far (or favoured/followed/read it) U guys are the reason why i feel like such a little shit for not writing lately XD (That's supposed to be flattering...I forget why...XD) **

**Well, enjoy and continue leaving those beautiful reviews u beautiful ppl! ENJOY! **

_**3**_

Loki ran his eyes over the sentences but he wasn't really concentrating on the historical words. As much as he loved reading it got a little boring when one couldn't do anything else for weeks on end. He felt his mind slip into a daydream and he sunk lower into the chair provided to him by his captors. He was a prince of Asgard after all, even if the blood in his veins was that of a Jotun, and he received a special treatment despite his crimes. He was certain Frigga was responsible for his comfort and he felt a pang of guilt go through his chest like an arrow. As much as he claimed otherwise out loud, he couldn't deny his love for his mother to himself. Yes, she was his mother and a loving one at that. She was the only one of his _family _he truly regretted disappointing... And maybe, since he was being honest for once in his life, a very tiny part of him regretted hurting Thor too.

He quickly changed the trail of his thought before the anger, grief and loneliness which threatened to engulf him would manage to sink their fangs deeper into him. Speaking of Thor... Whatever happened to him? It had been days since he'd visited him during the middle of the night when he'd been certain he was asleep. Wasn't there some mention of a second chance? He probably forgot or finally wised up a little and realized Loki was not about to change his ways anytime soon even if he was given ten chances. He was going to claim his rightful throne and the only reason he was still pliantly waiting in the silly thing they called a jail was because it was relatively comfortable and he was still in the process of constructing his next great plan of attack. It only took him one day to decipher the runes inscribed in the walls and device a spell which would secure his freedom but he held back from chanting it. He wasn't in the mood to run for his life from the whole kingdom and he wasn't entirely certain where to go either. Maybe he should go to Jotunheim... He was the rightful king there too and since Laufey was dead, the Frost Giants would recognise his claim. They were brutish creatures but they respected the royal linage with religious devotion. All he had to do was show them the markings along his skin to prove himself... The markings he'd been subconsciously taught to hide since before he could remember.

Loki liked to believe Odin had been scared of the possibility of his knowing the power he could possess if aware of the truth. He liked to believe he was a threat to the almighty Allfather and if anyone thought otherwise they would be all the more surprised when he would show them just how capable he was. And still, even after realizing his true identity and being cast aside by Odin, he was still hiding under the skin of an Asgardian. He swallowed dryly, the act nearly choking him. His eyes travelled over his hands and watched with loathing and fascination as they acquired a blue tinge, fain lines inscribed along his long fingers and around his wrists. He stopped the transformation at his elbows, trying to stomach the monster he was. He blamed Odin for this self-loathing. His hands tightened into fists and his nails dug sharply into the pages of the book. He wondered how things could have been had the king told him what and who he was from the very beginning. Would he have been happier knowing the source of his strangeness and his inability to fit in no matter how hard he tried? Would he have suffered less knowing the reason why Odin always punished him harder, expected more out of him and didn't hide his preference for Thor? Probably not, but he might have learned to approach those feelings better across the space of the few centuries he'd been alive. But instead he felt like he was suffocating under a sudden avalanche of life-long lies and hypocrisy.

He watched the pale cream, so pale it looked sickly, descended all the way to his fingertips once more. Why end the lie now? It was his life's masterpiece. It was so silent in the dungeons...Loki hated it. As much as he loved peace and quiet, a part of him missed the bustle of life. He missed being bored at one of the many celebrations which he couldn't avoid attending. He even missed complaining that he couldn't sleep because Thor was being excessively loud with one of his concubines again. He'd never thought he'd say that...

'Loki.' Speak of the devil. The trickster had been so preoccupied he'd missed hearing the approaching steps and he mentally cursed himself. His posture immediately stiffened but he easily adapted a look of utter boredom and indifference, his fingers turning a page of the tome in front of his eyes as if he'd been reading it attentively all day long and couldn't be bothered to pay Thor any mind. He didn't even raise his eyes to meet Thor's, dismissing him like a king would a servant, something he knew would get under the older prince's skin. Pride, thy name is Thor... 'Loki, don't ignore me.' How easily he could manipulate Thor... It was pathetic. The edge in the blond's voice was as sweet to his ear as the song of a well-tuned lyre. His lips curved into a crescent moon grin and he closed the book, placing it on the small table in front of him, before he turned his chair to face the future king of Asgard.

'Me? How could I, a lowly criminal, ignore your future highness? Would you like me to bow too? Or kneel perhaps?' Loki didn't even attempt to hide the mock in his voice or the taunting smirk across his lips and relished the tightening of Thor's jaw. The thunderer was probably itching from throwing Mjolnir at him. Loki wondered if it would be repelled or if a weapon as powerful and impressive as that could actually get past the magic defence...Maybe if he taunted Thor enough he'd get to find out.

'I did not come here to be mocked broth-'

'Loki. How hard is it for you to grasp the simple concept that we are NOT brothers? Even a goat is smarter than you.' He could see Thor's finger's twitching and edging towards the mythical hammer.

'This is not why I'm here.' Thor wanted to ardently disagree with Loki and tell him again that blood wasn't everything and that they were brothers no matter what but he knew if he fell for the trickster's words he'd lose sight of his aim entirely. Loki had that effect on him...

'Do enlighten me Thor. Why are you here with us degenerates? It is not like you've shown any interest in seeing me for the past few weeks I've been here. Why the sudden change of heart?' It was true. Thor had been too angry with Loki to see him and he'd needed some time to cool down. He'd needed some time to order his thoughts and consider his options, but Loki didn't know any of that. All he knew was that neither Thor nor Odin had made any attempts to see him. Only Frigga sometimes sneakily visited him in the form of a translucent illusion, having been forbidden from seeing Loki in person by her husband.

'I have a preposition for you.' Loki arched his eyebrow and Thor knew he'd captured his curiosity. Loki was intelligent and careful but curiosity always manage to get the best of him. There was a Midgardian saying about that actually... He remembered Tony Stark mentioning it once. Curiosity killed the cat. 'You will receive your freedom and in exchange all you have to do is drink this.' Thor opened one of his large hands to reveal the small flask, the glow so faint in the strong light it looked harmless. Loki eyed it with open distrust.

'You can't possibly expect me to agree to this without knowing what the contents of that phial is.' For Thor to offer him his freedom it had to be something very important. Poison perhaps...Was Thor ready to kill him in such a way? No, he was far too proud and honourable to consider such a back-stabbing trick. What if he didn't even know? Odin wasn't above employing such sly methods...

'It is a love potion.' Alright, Loki had to admit he hadn't expected that... He glanced from Thor to the item in his hand and back to Thor again. He could count the amount of times words failed him on one hand and this was to be number five it seemed.

'Why?' Loki rose from his seat without realizing he'd done so and neared the transparent barrier which separated them.

'Because it will help you find the right path again.' He hoped, but he didn't add that last part. Loki sneered at his words, his _charming _self-returning once the surprise wore off. He didn't believe in the power of love potions, not because he hadn't seen their effect but because they didn't work on someone capable of controlling their emotions. He was convinced the potion would do nothing to him but he held back from sharing this information in case he could get something useful out of Thor first.

'I am on the right path Thor. At long last I found it and it is leading straight towards your throne. Quick, run back and claim it before it's too late. Keep it warm for me.' He grinned wickedly, his eyes betraying the seriousness of his threat. Thor chose to tactfully ignore it, for once, and remembered Fandral's advice. Vanity. He had to use Loki's vanity against him.

'If I didn't know any better brother I'd say you are afraid. I thought you didn't believe in the effect of such silly things as love potions?' Loki's eyes immediately narrowed, first at the mention of the word brother and then at the taunt itself. He was the one who usually did the taunting and wasn't used to being on the receiving end.

'I do not and if you had half a brain you wouldn't either.' Thor may have been easy to manipulate but so was Loki, once someone knew his few weaknesses. He tended to overestimate himself, a lot. It was easy to rile him up and Thor chuckled to himself only to receive a poisonous glare from the younger god.

'Then what are you afraid of?' Loki laughed maliciously and shook his head in a patronising way.

'Who ever said anything about fear? I simply don't see the point of doing any of this since I'm not getting anything for my troubles.' Thor realized this was the hardest part. He'd managed to yank Loki's chain enough for him to consider drinking the potion simply to prove him wrong but he needed one final push. An offer too appealing to refuse.

'Your freedom. I already mentioned that.' Loki rolled his eyes and his expression turned to one of absolute boredom as if Thor had told him there were horses in the stables or the grass was green.

'Do you honestly think I can't escape this silly cage? The only reason I'm still here is because I like the reading material.' Another typical smirk and Loki walked towards the history volume, his fingers running over the cover in a way which had Thor thinking of their mother.

'Yes, I'm sure you could but what I'm offering you is not simple freedom from this cell but a royal pardon for your crimes. You wouldn't be an escaped prisoner on the run but still a prince of Asgard with all your previous titles and functions.' Loki froze, his eyes glued to some imaginary point in front of him, and Thor could see his conflicted mind at work.

'The Allfather agreed to this?' His voice was but a whisper but Thor heard it and noted the hunger in it. Loki wished to be free as much as any prisoner and here was Thor offering him a perfect opportunity with no strings attached. It was almost too good to be true!...

'He did.' Technically speaking that wasn't entirely true since Odin had still to return from his mission but Frigga said she'd take care of it so Thor felt confident enough. Perhaps it would have been better if he'd waited a few more days but a small voice inside him whispered Odin would have never agreed. He wouldn't have agreed to give Loki a second chance. Oh well, it was too late for that now anyway.

'And all I have to do is drink that?' Loki gestured to the thunderer's hand with a flick of his finger, having returned to stand in front of Thor. His eagerness was almost spilling through the cracks of his calm facade.

'You have my word.' Loki smirked but he knew Thor would never break an oath. His pride and blah, blah, blah. Gods knew, he'd taken advantage of that on many occasions. He contemplated the situation but he couldn't see any way in which it could turn against him. Even if, and it was a big if, the potion worked, so what? If Lady Fortune favoured him he'd even find a pleasing mate and he was confident in his ability to charm so he wasn't particularly worried about failing to incite interest and desire in another. Should he fail, what was a little more hate to his already frozen heart? It would only make him more fearful and tenacious. It was a win, win situation for him and Thor was dumb enough to miss that.

'Fine. We have a deal. I will drink your little love potion if you guarantee my freedom and pardon.' Thor's lips widened in a relieved grin and Loki supressed the urge to roll his eyes.

'Deal.' The blond strolled out of his line of sight and Loki faced the door which could only be opened by someone from the outside. He waited for Thor to enter and accepted the small item when the older god extended his arm to him. He looked at it for a second, wondering for the last time if he wasn't making a mistake, before pulling out the cork and swallowing the clear liquid before his mind over-analysed the situation again and ended up ruining his chance at absolute freedom. The taste was surprisingly pleasant and sweet. It was cool yet there was warmth coursing through his veins, as if his blood was slowly boiling. When the last of the drops trickled down his throat he looked at Thor challengingly but the other man continued to sport that annoyingly broad grin of his.

'Satisfied?' He threw the empty class container at Thor who caught it with one hand.

'Yes I am.' This time Loki did roll his eyes and moved past the blond, a part of him relieved when Thor didn't try to stop him from leaving the cell. As soon as he took the first step outside the door the realization that he was indeed free with a clean sleight hit him and his frown literally turned upside down.

Didn't he say no cell could keep Loki, the god of chaos, contained for long?...

* * *

Loki turned on his back, then back on his front, finally settling in a curled up position. He kicked the sheets away from him since the fabric became an infuriating discomfort all of a sudden. He'd always had a low tolerance for heat and the thin covers felt like they were stifling him. He didn't understand why he felt so bad and hot when it was the middle of autumn. It was by no means hot outside, especially during the night. He couldn't even enjoy being back in his own bed! He turned back on his back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling and he blew out a frustrated puff of air.

He remembered the look on Sif's face when he strolled out of the dungeons. Clearly his pardon was no news to her since she kept silent and the guards placed on either side of the prison entrance hadn't barred his way either. The goddess of battle glared at him with such naked distrust he smirked in amusement, though he did hold back the snide remarks ready to roll down his silver tongue. It wouldn't do to get into trouble on his very first day out... The Warrior Three were also there and the only one who seemed even vaguely pleased to see him was Fandral who flashed him his indiscriminatingly charming smile. Loki had to admit he liked the man best, maybe because he was a charmer much like himself and skilled with words. Or maybe it was because of that one night they spend together after an especially long round of drinking...

Loki didn't hang around, certain should he stay Sif would pierce him straight through his heart. He was tired and wanted to throw himself across his soft bed, surrounded by the familiar scent of ancient books and fresh herbs. He sometimes placed mint leaves or lavender flowers under his pillow and the smell calmed him but it didn't have any effect on him that night. His nerves were on edge and everything which touched his skin seemed to be piping hot. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and he jumped to his feet. He was only wearing a pair of cotton trousers, having yanked his tunic over his head hours ago in the hope the nightly air would cool his skin. No such luck... He stretched his back and walked to the balcony, welcoming the fresh wind with open arms. He pushed some stray inky strands from across his face and leaned over the stone railing, looking over the desolate courtyard.

The night sounds were the most effective calmant he knew but the more he stood there, the more his hands tightened their hold on the stone and his teeth gritted in annoyance. He felt so damn edgy and itchy and he ran his nails over bare arm, finding a momentary relief in the sting. Why was he feeling like ripping his skin off simply to cool the boiling blood pumping through his veins?! Was he ill? Did he catch something?... He mentally ran through all the ailments he knew but nothing fit and he was quite proud of his ability to memorise entire volumes, one of which dealt with this specific subject and various treatments as well as causes. He felt his guts tighten into a knot and he closed his eyes, fighting back the rising bile.

He wanted to go somewhere, to move, yet he felt like a single step would send him crushing to the ground like a sack of potatoes. He looked at the constellations, willing them to yield answers to the cause of his torment. Did the stars look as bright from Midgard? It took a second to realize what was wrong with that stray thought. Why was he suddenly thinking of such a meaningless, insignificant and puny planet? Why did he have such a strong, compelling desire to go there?... He couldn't make heads or tails of it, but Loki felt like an invisible string had been tied between himself and a specific point on the blue and green sphere. He didn't know where said point was or why it was so important but he had the urge to run down the Bifrost, in nothing but his current state of undress, and plead for Heimdall to allow him passage. It was absurd that he should even entertain such bizarre thoughts but it took all his centuries of self-restraint to prevent him from doing just that.

Something was terribly wrong...

* * *

**well, that depends on what u view as wrong... Something Loki is going to find out in the long run X3 **

**HAVE A LOVELY DAY! **


	4. Chapter 4

**I thought it would be very interesting to post this on a Monday morning, (the reason for that should be obvious from the first sentence XD) Once more, THANK YOU to those of u who left a comment before and know that i appreciate them all. I did suffer some sort of malfunction with my e-mail and i only realized there were any reviews this morning... U can imagine how crappy i felt all week thinking everyone of u readers quit on me simultaneously only to realize it was yahoo's fault... XD **

**Either way, I hope u continue to like this and please continue letting me know what you think. ENJOY! X3**

**(Also, to those of u wondering, I don't actually deal with Odin in the rest of the story. He just gets phased out, mostly because i can't stand him as a characters...) **

_**4**_

Tony Stark hated waking up in the mornings and what made that particular morning worse was the fact that it was a Monday. What normal human being actually enjoyed getting out of their soft bed, warm and comfortable, at the god forsaken hour of one in the afternoon after a night of hard parting and excessive drinking? Perhaps combining wine and vodka had been a bad idea. One of those days he was going to learn from his mistakes... Soon. He ran his fingers through his messy hair and pulled a t-shirt over his naked upper body. His feet dragged lazily behind him as he left his bedroom, the sheets crumpled and unmade of course. Well, there was only one cure for a Monday morning so awful he considered pulling out his arc reactor... Coffee. Lovely, sugar saturated, dark coffee. He felt better at the simple thought alone.

He didn't meet any of the others on his journey from bed to kettle and he offered a silent thanks for that to whatever deity chose to listen. It wasn't like he didn't like the company of the other Avengers but he was simply not in the mood to switch on his wit, because he did have a reputation to keep and unfortunately it being Monday morning didn't excuse the absence of his sass. Banner rarely left the top of the tower, cooped up with his life's research like some princess waiting for a knight in shining armour. Natasha and Clint were on some top secret something or other, S.H.I.E.L.D. related. It would take Tony all of ten minutes to hack into their system and find out what this secret was but then he risked another scolding from papa Fury... Definitely not in the mood for that... Thor was still in Asgard of course and he was grateful for that. He really liked the guy but every time he made an appearance things got destroyed and he'd just finished re-building Stark Tower. Which left the good 'ol Captain. He was somewhere around the base as well unless he stepped out to familiarise himself with current events. It seemed every time he returned from one of his walks he was ten times more confused and Tony simply loved messing with him. He'd even managed to convince him JARVIS could read his mind unless he wore an aluminium hat until Natasha took pity on the poor chap and spoiled Tony's fun.

He rubbed his eye with the back of his hand when he finally arrived at his destination and made his way to the kettle. His finger drummed impatiently against the counter for the water to boil faster. There was a faint throbbing keeping the beat of his own drumming across his temple and he hastily stopped. He was no stranger to a hang-over though, so he made peace with the fact that every tiny noise would send a spark of pain through his nervous system. The birds outside his window, the scraping of his cup as he took it from the shelf, the sound of Loki sipping his own drink... It actually took him a moment to realize what his muddled mind was trying to tell him. He turned slowly to the table behind him and sure as the sun set every evening, there sat the god of lies in the flesh and blood, in one of his chair, drinking from one of his cups. He openly gawked at the figure, too surprised to say anything and Loki smirked at his expression.

'Don't you know staring is rude?' He brought the bright red mug to his lips, giving Tony time to recover from his initial shock.

'Wh-What are you drinking?' He had no idea why that was the first question he needed to ask but it happened regardless. Loki raised an eyebrow and his smile widened a little more.

'Mint tea. I do hope you don't mind me helping myself.' The genius looked in the direction of the tea cabinet before moving his eyes back to the cup held between Loki's pale fingers.

'I do mind. I most certainly do mind.' His brain was already assessing the situation and putting the puzzle pieces into a tangible picture, though a lot of the fragments were missing. His voice easily adapted that devil-may-care tone he was so famous for and his frame looked deceptively relaxed, like Loki popping into his kitchen was one of the most natural things conceivable. He even leaned back against the counter as if bored. 'Since when are you here anyway?' He meant Earth but Loki wasn't one for straight answers.

'If your clock is correct, since three hours ago. My, you sure do sleep a lot. Oh and Thor is going to make an appearance shortly. You may want to hide all the breakable items around your home.' Loki sighed, remembering the amount of times his brother ended up destroying his own things. The man couldn't exercise finesse if his life depended on it!

'Thanks for the advice.' Tony wondered if he could call Banner and, more importantly, if Banner would have enough time to get there before Loki killed him. Why else would he be there after all, if not to kill them? 'JARVIS?'

'Yes sir?' The British voice filtered through the walls and Loki barely resisted the impulse to turn and look behind him, even if he was already aware of Stark's artificial butler.

'Why is there a psychotic Norse mythological murderer in my kitchen and why didn't I get a heads up?'

'That's harsh...' Loki mumbled under his breath but his smile didn't dissipate in the slightest.

'But true.' Tony did not take his eyes off of the other, like one wouldn't take their eyes off a venomous viper.

'Not my forte.' Their back and forth was interrupted by JARVIS' reply.

'Sir, you are the one who specifically told me not to bother you after a night of _wild partying_. I believe you mentioned I shouldn't bother even if Freddy from Elm Street was waiting outside your door to kill you.' That did sound vaguely familiar...

'That didn't apply to insane aliens JARVIS. For future reference, file everything I say under sarcastic.' Loki chuckled and relished the peppery taste of mint coating his tongue.

'Sir.' Tony regretted his earlier wish to be alone... What was the point of having a base where the Avengers could assemble if someone like Loki could literally just walk in?! It defied all purposes of the group's creation. Damn, it was too early for him to think properly... He rubbed his hand across his forehead but it didn't do much for the growing pain inside his skull.

'Drink camomile tea. It helps with headaches.' Tony glanced at Loki whose eyes were looking around the kitchen, anywhere but at him. Why had he said that? Why did he even care if the mortal was suffering? He should be happy, not worried. 'It's a relaxant I believe.'

'Thanks... I think.' The human looked at Loki for a few more seconds before he shrugged, deciding to deal with the shock of receiving actual helpful advice from Loki of all guys. It was strange to say the least! Tony turned to the kettle and poured the hot water into his cup, one hand reaching for the coffee pot but then he changed his mind and grabbed a bag of camomile tea instead. He was already sufficiently awake anyway, courtesy of Loki's impromptu appearance. He missed the slight curve of the god's lips, not in a smirk but a small smile which he quickly turned wicked when Tony turned towards him once more. 'So why exactly are you here anyway?'

'That is a good question-'

Before Loki could string together a plausible lie, a noise that sounded suspiciously similar to glass breaking came from the adjacent room. Tony startled and took a step towards the door but Loki looked at the heavens in frustration.

'What was that?!'

'Thor is here.' The owner of the tower glanced at Loki who only crossed his legs and took another drink from his calming tea. Sure enough, a moment later the blond thunderer barged into the kitchen while securing Mjolnir at his side.

'Loki! Is this where you went? To the Midgardian glass tower?' The trickster glanced at Thor and sneered. Oh how he yearned to turn him into a frog... But he really didn't wish to anger the mortal, Tony Stark. Why? Hel if he knew.

'I always knew you were dumb but apparently you're blind too.' He resented Thor's presence even more than usually for some inexplicable reason. He wanted to be alone with the man of iron because... His mind drew a complete blank as to that.

'Are you sure you want to be here? Think about this carefully!' Tony didn't understand what was going on at all but he decided to keep out of it for the moment at least. Who knew, maybe their senseless conversation would shed some light on a few things. Loki was silent as he contemplated the question only to arrive at the conclusion that yes, he wanted to be there and no, he didn't know why. They, Thor and himself, had left Asgard early that morning, receiving safe passage from Heimdall after Thor gave him direct orders from Odin himself. It seemed Frigga did manage to convince him that Loki deserved a second chance though how, Thor had no idea. Loki voiced his expressed wish to go to Midgard, much to Thor's surprise, and refused to say anything else on the subject. Fortunately the older god knew exactly why the trickster was behaving so oddly and seemed unable to keep still. As soon as the Bifrost zapped them through the space between the two realms, Loki vanished. Freya told Thor the potion would bring Loki to his soul mate and he'd spent much of the morning looking for his brother, only to find him in the last place he'd ever dream of seeing him. The Avengers' household! Loki's soul mate was one of the Avengers! Thor glanced at Tony and his eyes widened in shock and maybe a little horror. What were the chances that someone as intelligent and aware of Loki's many, many antics was ever going to fall in love with him?! They were all doomed!

'I... If I didn't want to be here why would I be here?' Loki found himself growling the words, something inside him suddenly become defensive. He hadn't done anything wrong so why was Thor interrogating him?! Hadn't he been the one to bring him to Midgard, Odin having specified directly he wished the older god to look after him like he was some misbehaving child? He felt his skin heat up and he barred his teeth viciously at Thor, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

'Not that this isn't very entertaining, but mind bringing me up to speed?' Tony was certain that if he didn't intervene anytime soon he would have to spend another few months repairing his precious tower. Loki looked about ready to slit someone's throat and he wasn't crazy enough to put it past him. He'd done far worse after all...

'It's a little complicated...' Thor looked sheepish all of a sudden and he glanced at the floor, his hand running through his long hair. Loki inhaled a calming breath and resumed his stoic posture while Tony remembered why he hated Monday's so damn much.

'That tells me nothing. Why is he out of jail, or whatever you guys have in...' He waved his hand searching for the name of their home.

'Asgard.' Loki supplied the answer.

'Right. I though you said you'll take him back home for a _befitting punishment_. What happened to that?' Tony and Thor regarded each other and Loki enjoyed being left on the side line. He regarded the conversation with amusement, very curious to see the human's face when he'll learn he'd been pardoned for his crimes.

'Loki has been trialled according to our laws and sentenced to incarceration but...' Thor trailed off, having forgotten to consider how he was to tell his human friends about Loki's pardon. They'd made no attempt to hide their contempt for the trickster, and rightfully so, and bringing them news of his freedom would be insulting. They didn't know Loki like he did. They hadn't been raised with him, played with him, cried with him. They wouldn't be so quick to forgive his wrongs.

'What? Why isn't he still incarcerated then?' Loki smirked, drawing Tony's attention to him.

'_He_ has been pardoned for his crimes because of him. I also received my freedom back, just so you know.' He didn't hide his smugness as he gestured towards the reason of his absolution. Tony's jaw dropped and he looked accusingly at Thor. It was exactly the reaction Loki had hoped for.

'You've got to be joking. A few months? That's what you people think a few thousand lives are worth? Or are we ants just not important enough to you boots? Your analogy, not mine.' Loki was quite fond of that one, if he was being honest, but he didn't feel like making a snide remark. He wasn't sorry for his actions, maybe a little, but they didn't seem quite as glorious as before... He glanced at his reflection staring back at him from the dark green liquid in his half-empty cup, feeling Tony's hateful glance on him the entire time.

'That isn't it at all. Midgard is under my protection and I can assure you I care very much for its safety. It is because of that Loki has been given this second chance.' Both men turned to look at Thor, neither entirely sure how that made any sense. 'I understand this may seem absurd but trust me. This is the only way.' Tony and Loki glanced at each other, sharing a moment of kindred bewilderment, but Thor didn't elaborate. Frigga advised him to keep quiet about the love potion, at least until he was certain Loki's mate was hopefully showing signs of affection towards the trickster. She hadn't known that mate was going to be an Avenger and one of Thor's closest friends who was as adapt at being sly as Loki himself. This was not going to be easy at all...

'Stark? Why is there glass everywh- What is he doing here?!' And they were going to get even more difficult, go figure. The three turned to look at the new arrival and Steve immediately assumed a defensive position when spotting Loki. Unfortunately he was missing his shield or the trickster would be flying through a wall right about then.

'Ah, Captain. It is good to see you again!' Steve only noticed Thor then and he looked from Loki to Thor to Loki to Tony who shrugged, resigned to drinking his camomile tea while all hell broke loose around him. Mondays were fucked up and this was proof.

'Thor? Why are you here? Isn't he supposed to be in jail or something?' The god of mischief grinned at the deja-vu and threw Steve a mockingly hurt look. One which was rewarded with a hostile glare.

'I think I've worn out my welcome here.'

'What welcome?' But only Loki heard Tony's input and he smiled to himself at the question.

'Therefore I shall take my leave, for now. Have fun explaining the situation to them Thor.' Loki chucked softly before vanishing, taking the cup of tea with him but only Tony noticed that and he made a mental note to ask for it back later. He was amazed at his own nonchalant behaviour... He was acting like having a god of chaos around for tea was something which happened quite a bit these days. Well it wasn't like he hadn't been through worse and, at least for the time being, Loki seemed to behave himself. He wondered how long that would last...

'Guys? Why is there glass all over the floor and why is Thor here?' They all glanced at Bruce and Tony burst into laughter.

Loki studied the empty cup as if he was trying to decipher its intended purpose. Why was he still holding it and what was preventing him from throwing it over the side of the roof he was currently standing on? A small voice inside him whispered the name of the original owner and he cringed, feeling his blood heat up in that strange way again. What was the matter with him? Finally he placed the cup, very gently, on the brick edge rising to his waist and turned his attention to look over the Midgardian settlement. It was a bright and busy day and the tiny humans rushed about like busy bees. Loki wondered if they were in such a hurry precisely because they were aware of their fragility and their short existence? He had to admit, even if he would never say it aloud, it was impressive how they managed to achieve so much considering one human life-spam was no more than a week when compared to his centuries of life. Tony Stark was practically a child compared to him yet his intelligence was to be admired. There it was again! That warm sensation when he thought of that man! Why?

Loki shook his head, hoping to physically dislodge those confusing thoughts and emotions, and wondered instead why he was there at all. He'd felt that inexplicable pull towards Midgard the previous night and as soon as he set foot on this realm's soil he felt himself rushing towards a destination he couldn't even name but one he couldn't resist. It took him over an hour to realize the pull was bringing him towards Stark Tower, the bright letters attracting attention from miles away. Even if he didn't want to go anywhere near there, at least so he told himself, he found himself in the hallway, the one which Thor destroyed with one fell swoop, pacing the vacant room furiously. Something about the area calmed him and that insufferable boiling began to cool down. Loki would have immediately suspected sorcery but then he remembered this was Midgard... He'd eventually resigned himself to whatever was controlling him like a puppet and drowned his anxiety in mint tea. He was actually at the third cup by the time Tony woke up.

He visibly flinched when he re-played the moment when the human walked into the kitchen. For a second he'd been petrified, turned into a living statue, the cup half raised to his lips. Fortunately Tony seemed too dazed to notice his presence until he managed to compose himself, at least on the surface, but his emotions were running rampart. He'd never felt so chaotic before. His heart drummed furiously, his blood warmed and cooled hectically, thin rivers of perspiration ran down the back of his neck which were luckily out of the human's sight, even his toes curled inside his boots! For that one petrifying second, his eyes had been unable to stop studying the smaller man, running over the body hungrily and his tongue flicked out to lick his lower lip before he understood what was happening. It was doing the same thing from the memory alone and he nearly bit it off in his frustration.

He wanted to go back...He'd barely left, but he wanted to return to the ugly tower and be near the human who so easily resisted his control before. He wanted to touch his glowing heart and kiss his lips... His eyes opened in horror. Had he just thought of kissing the mortal man? A faint blush crawled up his neck and he pressed his palm across his mouth to muffle a gasp. Realization struck like one of Thor's lightning bolts. Thor... this was Thor's fault!

The love potion worked...

* * *

**TA-DAH! we have an epiphany ladies and gentlemen! XD Things can only get better from here... (you would think...) **

**HAVE A LOVELY DAY! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again! I hope u've all had a lovely week and (in the hope this will only make it better) here's an update for this fic! XD I think u'll enjoy this chapter (i hope so anyway) and, on that note, don't hesitate to tell me what you think! (good or bad and if it's bad, do tell me how to make it good! O.o)**

**Also, a very warm THANK YOU to all of u who left a review so far and know that I am deliriously happy because of them! X3 ENJOY!**

_**5**_

Six days passed without incident, that is, without a sign of life from Loki, and Thor was growing worried. He found himself looking out the window a lot more as if hoping to catch a glimpse of green and black but of course, Loki wouldn't degrade himself to walking among the mortals like a wolf wouldn't walk with the sheep. He sighed tiredly, his worst fear keeping him from a proper sleep. What if Loki realized the potion was working, despite his claims, and he was resisting the effects? Contrary to popular belief those concoctions weren't designed to turn people into thoughtless puppets who would become slaves to their infatuations. They still had a mind and they could still exercise it which made the whole process so damn difficult. Thor found himself wondering if Loki even wanted to be in love, with a Midgardian and an Avenger, and would he deliberately allow the love in his heart to morph into hate?

'You okay big guy?' The thunderer glanced at Tony and studied the man again. He didn't even know what an important role he was playing in this plan he devised... He questioned if he should tell Stark the truth for the thousandth time and for the thousandth time he remembered Frigga's warning and held his tongue. He would only scare Tony and make him reject the idea immediately, not that Loki showed any signs of doing things any differently.

'May I ask you something?' Tony's lips curved lop-sidedly at the phraseology. He was getting used to Thor's Shakespearean speech and was even beginning to like it a little. It was like having someone from Victorian England under his roof and it made him laugh more often than not.

'Shoot.' Likewise, after some interesting misinterpretations, Thor was getting accustomed to the strange Midgardian phrases. In this case shoot was not to be taken literally. He'd learned that the hard way after nearly throwing Mjolnir at agent Barton before...

'What are your thoughts on my brother?' Thor gazed intently at Tony who blinked a few times. He was sitting on the living room sofa, having acquired a taste for the cloudy softness, while Tony took a seat in an adjacent couch, a glass coffee table separating them.

'Loki? I thought you guys weren't brothers.' He was trying to stall or change the subject all together because he knew Thor wouldn't like what he had to say. He may have been able to casually overlook the slaughter of innocent lives in time but call him a sentimentalist, he simply could not yet. Even thinking of the cold smirk on those thin lips made him want to wring the trickster's skinny neck. Would his hands fit around the long throat? Would he feel the beating pulse under the cooler skin and, most importantly, would he be able to silence it for good? He pictured the scene for a moment, Loki's eyes looking into his with a hint of fear as he tightened his fingers and then a small whimper would escape the trembling lips which would freeze him... No, he couldn't kill the psychopath, not even in his own imagination.

'Not by blood but we are brothers, whatever Loki may say. But you haven't answered my question.' Defending his bond with Loki was a reflex by now and the words left Thor's mouth with the ease a good morning greeting would. He continued to examine Tony's expression, not missing the slight wondering of his eyes in that way which he recognised as daydreaming. Nor did he miss the very slight, almost unnoticeable, red tinge across his skin, though it was gone so fast he wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him. Besides, the billionaire could have been thinking of anything under the sun... He wished he had the ability to read-minds. Then maybe he could have understood Loki better too and prevented this whole current mess entirely...

'What do you want me to say? The guy's a murderer, no offence. He's cocky and inconsiderate and someone has to send him to time-out already. How do you even put up with him?' Thor couldn't help a fleeting smile at Tony's description. With the exception of the murder part, which he had been called before in his days of designing weapons of mass destruction, he might as well have painted a portrait of himself. He was quickly beginning to understand why this man was Loki's soul mate...

'It takes patience and forgiveness but after a while you realize he is only looking for attention. I was too blind to notice before, and maybe I am the one you should blame instead, but he is lost down the wrong path. I know he wants to find his way back. I know he wants to have a family again but he is still struggling to make peace with my father's betrayal and is too proud to ask for help.'

'Or stubborn.' Tony listened to Thor's words, wishing he could just call Loki a prick and leave it at that, but he learned no person was simply white or black. People were complex creatures, painted in many shades of grey, some darker some lighter but nobody was just one colour. He was far from a saint himself... Hadn't he been responsible for the fuelling and prolonging of entire wars? His stomach turned but he was certain should he put the number of deaths he was responsible for, on Earth, beside Loki's he would win hands down.

'He is that.' They mused in silence for a moment, both thinking of the mischievous imp out of sight.

'What do you think he's planning?' Point of the matter was, Loki was still a villain currently and a threat to Earth. He could very well be putting some insane plan together that very second though some part of Tony knew that was probably not the case. If Loki wanted to go crazy he would have done so by now, especially since he knew the Avengers had been separated though as soon as he left Steve and Tony contacted the other members and they Assembled, on stand-by just in case. Wasn't it Loki who brought the group together for the first time anyway? How ironic... His attempt to subjugate Earth actually resulted in the founding of a strong line of defence. Tony supposed he should give the guy thanks the next time they meat, just to see him scowl.

'Truthfully, I do not think he is planning anything.' Loki was probably far too busy fighting against the effects of the love potion to think of much else. The notion brought a bitter taste to Thor's mouth.

'What makes you so sure?' The god of thunder had explained the situation, without mentioning the love potion, to the Avengers already, multiple times. He'd asked them all to trust him and reluctantly they agreed. He vouched Loki wouldn't do something stupid but Tony was finding that hard to believe. It was Loki! They'd also agreed to react calmly should the trickster come to the tower again. _'Why not? I'm just going to turn my pretty tower in a hotel. I think I could attract great business. Aliens sure seem to take a shine to it.'_ Tony mumbled to himself but agreed regardless. Thor didn't answer his question.

'Sir?' Thor flinched at the celestial voice but Tony didn't even blink. It wasn't the first time the god heard JARVIS but it startled him just as much.

'What is it JARVIS?'

'You have a visitor in the kitchen.' Tony knew immediately who it had to be and Thor was already on his feet. He waited for the human to take the lead though, hanging back so Loki wouldn't react violently again. The younger god made no attempts to hide his disdain at his very presence and, while the treatment cut Thor like one of Loki's enchanted knives, he took solace from the hope that things would soon change for better. Hope dies last...

Tony took his time walking to the kitchen, ignoring the killing suspense. He refused to admit it but a tiny part of him was relieved to see Loki again, only if to verify that he was still behaving. He could feel Thor's anticipation, ready to rush past him and barge in the other room, and wondered why the giant was keeping his distance despite that. Asgardians were weird folk... He left it at that. He opened the kitchen door and stopped in his tracks at the fresh sight. It was Loki alright but in a state the genius never thought possible. The man looked positively exhausted, his usually ruler straight posture bent slightly like his own body was too heavy to carry. He had large circles under his eyes, so defined Tony imagined Loki painting them on with black ink. His usually perfectly tidy hair was slightly dishevelled, some strands falling loose and hanging over the trickster's forehead. Even his eyes were slightly lidded, the effort of keeping them fully open too great apparently. Tony had suffered a number of insomnia riddled weeks after nearly dying trying to save New York from an alien invasion and he knew the same thing was happening to Loki. What baffled him even more was the knowledge that Loki was too proud to show any signs of weakness to anyone yet here he was, looking like he would drop over dead. There was also the all too familiar scent of alcohol thick in the air.

'I brought your cup back.' Loki held the red mug out to Tony, his fingers trembling slightly and ready to drop the delicate porcelain. The billionaire genius accepted it, his eyes still looking over the sight in shock.

'Um...Thanks...Yes, Thanks.' He looked at the cup in his own hand, a hundred questions flying through his brain like supernovas. Had Loki been keeping the stupid thing around all those days? Why?! It didn't seem like him at all... But then again, neither did his current state.

'Brother? What happened to you?!' Thor still stayed behind Tony, as if afraid of something but Tony could see he was itching to get close to the other man.

'Not brothers.' He mumbled the rejection instinctively, his tired eyes looking at Thor for a second and filling with such naked hatred the blond took a step back, but the emotion drifted away almost immediately, the bright green turning murky. Even staying angry was a chore and Tony was certain the trickster would topple over any second. He'd done it plenty of time himself, pushing his body to its absolute limits to the point where it was sleep or death. One time he'd fallen asleep while flying his suit and woke up in a ditch. He'd always thought he'd wake up in a ditch someday but because he was drunk not tired...

'Loki, are you feeling okay?' Maybe it was knowing what being so devoid of energy felt like. Maybe it was the hero in him. Maybe he had a soft spot for Loki because he recognised the numerous similarities they shared, neglecting fathers, dysfunctional families and being bad to distract from the pain, to name a few. Whatever it was, it prompted him to ask the question and a part of him turned out to genuinely care...

'I am now...' Loki looked directly at him as he spoke and Tony could have sworn there was warmth in those eyes before they flickered with fear, Loki having realized what he'd said too late. The trickster looked like he wanted to say something else and Tony waited for him to add to his interesting choice of words but the nameless fear only got more acute and Loki took a step back. Wait, was he afraid of him? He wasn't even wearing his suit! 'I- This was a bad idea.' Tony realized the man was going to bolt one second before he vanished.

'Wait!-' Too late. Tony was left reaching for thin air. Where was Loki going anyway, in that pitiful state? More importantly, why did he care so damn much? Hell, he should be hoping for the guy to get run over by a train, though he doubted that would be enough to put an end to him, but instead worry gnawed at him like a hungry parasite. Well, there wasn't much he could do about it anyway. Eventually Loki would pop up again, of that he was certain, and maybe he'll get some answers then. It would be about time...

'What was that all about?' He didn't expect an actual answer but Thor didn't realize that.

'That was good news.' He turned to stare at the blond god and caught the hint of a smile on his lips. While Tony was left to puzzle over his behaviour, his grin widened at the realization that maybe there was still some hope left after all...

* * *

Loki crashed on the double bed and buried his face in the pillows. He'd had to bottle up anger for decades, mostly directed at Thor, and whenever it felt like he was ready to bust he took a pillow and screamed into it until he felt a little of the weight lift off his burdened heart. He screamed until his throat was raw, his yells and oaths muffled by the feathers. He screamed until the last of his scarce energy drifted away and he couldn't even manage moving his limbs. He prayed for sleep to spread its comforting, forgiving hands around him but it still refused to come to him. He was so exhausted he couldn't move a finger but his mind continued to torture him mercilessly and he gave up, letting it think what it pleased.

He'd been trying to fight the effects of the love potion, all the more wishing to emerge victorious after realizing the origins of his curse, but he'd lost in the end. Finding a fine shelter had been easy, having bewitched the manager of the nearest five star hotel into giving him the keys to the best available room. At first he chose a location on the edge of the city, a good distance from the Avengers' fortress but the burn in his veins grew stronger with each step he put between himself and the object of his desire. After struggling with it he eventually resigned to moving a little closer, if only to find a little relief from the crushing grip tightening inside his chest. He'd moved as close to the Stark Tower as he dared without simply giving into the cursed potion and forfeiting the fight. Six days he managed to survive, barely, but each passing moment turned worse and worse. He hadn't slept much, that was plain to see, and he hadn't eaten either, the taste turning to ash as soon as it touched his tongue. Dozens of empty bottles littered the expensive bedroom carpet on the other hand... He'd sought relief in the one thing which never let him down, alcohol. Plenty of pain numbing drink and for a while, it had worked. The dulling effect carried him all the way to day five but then not even being intoxicated with enough to make an elephant stumble worked anymore either.

It was only making thinking harder without hindering the boiling which was slowly driving him insane so he stopped downing the contents of his current bottle called Jack Daniel. What strange names the Midgardian gave their drinks... Loki had been sick before and, due to his low tolerance to heat, fevers have been the worst form of hell for him. He hated nothing more than being forced to stay under the covers until the fever broke but he knew if he was patient and bore it with ground teeth eventually it would end and he'd feel better. By that logic the same thing was sure to happen in his current situation so he laid on the bed, resisting the urge to throw himself out the window only to feel the cold wind across his skin. He'd waited, and waited, and waited, and waited. He tore his clothes off him and opened all the windows. He'd stayed under the waterfall of freezing water in the shower for hours until a cold was imminent even if he was a Frost Giant. He tried everything he could think of which would help him deal with the burning but the furnace was burning inside his flesh and he didn't know how to freeze that part of himself.

He'd endured as much as possible until he was certain madness was upon him. He broke on the sixth day and his last line of defence snapped under the onslaught of his overpowering desire. He had to see the human, even if only in a glimpse. He had to be near him, even if only for a second. He'd at least remembered to re-dress and the cup despite his delirious mind before he found himself in Stark's kitchen, only this time even tea wasn't enough to calm his edginess. He tried to look as normal as possible, making his best attempt to stand straight and running a hand through his messy hair to bring it under some illusion of order, but he knew he failed miserably and Tony's shocked expression confirmed it. He groaned into the pillow when he remembered how that excruciating charring turned to pleasant warmth as soon as the man stepped into the room. He'd narrowly avoided bursting into tears from the sheer relief, his nerves far beyond chaotic at that point.

And then he'd had to say _that_ like a damn fool. '_Now I am..._' He re-played his own answer in his head and had he any strength left he would have screamed again. He could continue to deny it, but he would only be fooling himself. He'd lost the fight with the damn love potion. He couldn't endure that self-destruction all over again... It was agony. He had to make peace with the knowledge that yes, he desired Tony Stark like nothing he'd ever desired before. He wanted the man to recognise his existence more than he wanted to rule Asgard! He hungered for the human to give him more than physical pleasure, because if that would have been the cure he would simply take it by force if necessary. In all factuality, he didn't know what he wanted from Stark but it was scaring him. It terrified him knowing the man hated him so much he wouldn't give him a chance to change. How was he supposed to even get close to someone who possibly, probably, wanted to push him head first into a wood-chipper? He remembered Stark's disdain at his pardon and his freedom... Loki realized he was doing the thing which Thor had been trying to make him do ever since he'd wronged Midgard. He was regretting his actions...

Haunted by those fears and regrets, Loki fell into a deep slumber, his nightmares kept at bay by a bright blue light.

* * *

**He returned the cup! XD (remember that. It will be mentioned again in the last chapter X3) **

**Well, I do hope u liked it! I have to admit, i enjoyed writing it... Either way, do let me know what you thought! X3 Until next time, **

**HAVE A LOVELY BUNCH OF DAYS! **


	6. Chapter 6

**End of week = New chapter! XD This one deals with Tony's side of the story more and so will the next chapter but i won't spoil it for u X3 Also, for those of u who thought Loki gave into the effects of the potion too readily, allow me to explain that. See, it isn't like he was simply dealing with lust or a mild interest. The love potion is very powerful and even someone as stubborn as Loki couldn't resist it for long. Or something to that effect... XD**

**Also, (as always) THANK YOU to those of u who left a review and know that i appreciate them greatly! Love u all! (thank u to those of u who favoured/followed or simply read it as well X3) **

**Well, without further ado, ENJOY! **

_**6**_

Stark took a moment to reflect on the past week, one which he could safely say had been the strangest of his life. Even his raging parties, though a vast portion of those memories were blurs, had paled in comparison to those seven days. He moved the screwdriver he was still holding from one hand to the other, having left his workspace when he couldn't concentrate at all. He'd nearly burned the fine circuits in one of his suits and those things were expensive. But it wasn't the money 'problem' which made him take a break but the attachment he'd formed with the Iron Man. It wasn't just a pair of jeans he could wear to look cool and then throw them in a trash can. It was part of him as much as the Arc Reactor projecting light from under his black sleeveless shirt. He _was_ Iron Man. He'd meant that literally.

And he knew exactly what, or who, was the cause of his distraction. Oh yes he did. Who else could it be but Loki? Tony leaned back into the sofa pillows and let his mind wander, recalling some of the highlights of the past seven days. _Highlights._... He didn't even try to correct himself and call them downsides because he'd soon realized a part of him was looking forwards to Loki's impromptu appearances. The self-destructive, masochistic side of him was eager to see what fresh hell the trickster summoned and he grew to quickly enjoy the short exchange of words between them. He fully understood why Thor called the guy Silver Tongue... The way he played with the language and twisted his words into weapons or pleasantries was almost magical. He was a word-smith if ever there was one and he knew it which made him dangerous. Loki fully understood the ease with which he could control and bewitch others without lifting a single finger and he'd used this gift of his unabashed of the consequences.

Curiously, Loki shunned all others except for himself. In fact, whenever another of the Avengers or Pepper neared him he would fall silent and his playful manner would turn irritated. Had he not known better, Tony would have suspected jealousy but he did know better and he still suspected jealousy. It wasn't like the guy had been especially careful to hide his intentions, his words almost a purr and everything about his manner down to the easy sway of his hips when nearing Tony flirtatious. He'd been paying attention. Whenever Loki walked towards anyone else he was stiff and straight, an image of a frozen king without a crown. He cast up his defences as if it was a self-preserving instinct and should someone see him for his true self he would spontaneously combust into flames and die. But when he was around Tony he could see, plain as day, those same barriers crumble one by one. Loki had even answered some questions about himself. He'd told Tony about his love for books and why he sought refuge in their papery embrace when he was a child. How he'd been alienated and isolated because of his strange looks from all the other children's games so he spend his time wandering to far-away imaginary places on paths of ink. He'd mentioned this to Thor later and the blond was so shocked his jaw dropped about eight feet in a comical display of incredulity. Apparently for Loki to open up like that to anybody was pretty big...

Yet he was torn. On one hand, he wanted to give Loki a second chance, recognising the potential for great good in the layered green eyes. On the other, he couldn't simply forget the hundreds of deaths Loki was responsible for and he wasn't exactly making the forgiving process any easier by creating rifts between himself and the other Avengers. Though he had to admit, his pranks were creative and surprisingly harmless. He even laughed a few times to the annoyance of Loki's victims and a grin graced his lips that very moment when he remembered his personal favourites.

The first target had been Pepper and if this was due to jealousy as Stark suspected then it made sense Loki would lash out at the woman who spent most of her time around him or taking care of his business, personal or otherwise, even if they were no longer in a romantic relationship. Still, it was easy to jump to the wrong conclusion, especially since he had this tendency to flirt with her A LOT. She was the only one who knew him wholly, wrong and good mixed in the disastrous mix that was him, and he liked nothing more than succeeding in getting her to smile. She worked herself hard enough...He felt even worse about that because he wasn't ignorant to the fact she was doing his job. It wasn't like he hadn't offered to help but she waved him away since he would probably end up setting fire to the company should he go anywhere near the important documents which set the wheels of success in motion. No, he was good at designing new toys for his suit and taking those same toys out for a spin so that's what he did. But Loki didn't know any of that. He only saw Pepper laughing and talking freely with Stark who was flirting back and getting dangerously close. How could he know this was just how they were and there really wasn't any danger of anything re-kindling? They were genuinely great friends...

Tony remembered seeing a flash of irrational lightning green in the usually canny eyes. He remembered thinking that couldn't be anything but bad news. Loki was casually occupying the edge of Tony's sofa armrest, perched on it with breath taking elegance, his long legs straight and crossed in a way which attracted attention. He was man enough to admit to himself, that yes, he'd eyed them but he changed the direction of the gaze as soon as Loki seemed to notice. After he'd caught that look in his eye, Loki immediately assumed a look of pure indifference but Tony was getting good at telling when the other was lying. He had small tells, like the way the muscles along his jaw tightened almost unperceptively, or the way his fingers would start moving as if unable to keep still, even the corner of his lips were curved just the slightest downwards towards a frown rather than a grin. At the time, he didn't know the tells well enough to pay Loki much mind, but by his third stunt he would have been shocked had the trickster not pranked someone... At the time though, he'd made the catastrophic mistake of ignoring Loki and flirting with Pepper as openly as always. The Captain was also there and he shook his head slightly before re-directing his attention to the newspaper in his hands. Thor was out, probably with Jane, having spent more and more time at the scientist's place.

Loki was so still on the edge, his eyes looking at some far away point in a contemplative way, Tony would have taken him for a statue had he not known better. The illusion was shattered when the trickster vanished without a word a second later. He did that a lot, appearing and disappearing as he pleased, but Tony was still not used to it. It was unnerving being alone one second and then feeling a pair of cold hands on his waist from behind before he managed to break free from the hold only to deal with Loki's teasing laughter. He couldn't relax in his own home! Surrounded by the Avengers! If they couldn't even restrain Loki from breaking and entering, though he didn't technically speaking break anything, how were they supposed to keep the whole world safe from him?! He tried not to dwell on that and hoped whatever ace Thor had his sleeve would pay off.

The rest of the day was welcomingly calm and Tony forgot all about the look in Loki's eyes until the next morning when Pepper stormed his tower and demanded to see the trickster. She was wearing a scarf over her head which was odd...Tony knew for a fact she didn't like covering her hair unless it was raining outside. Plus, she was fuming which was a rare sight. He'd only ever managed to get on her edge like that twice in all his life and it wasn't from lack of trying. After he managed to convince her that Loki wasn't there and questioned her persistently enough she tore the fabric from around her head and neck and dared Tony to say anything. That was a problem since he was dumb-struck. He recognised Loki's work as easily as of he'd left a signed tag behind. Pepper's beautiful strawberry blond hair was moss green and messy enough to make Medusa's nest of serpents seem tame by comparison. Tony knew how careful Pepper was about her appearance and he understood this was getting on her nerves like ten years' worth of him put together couldn't.

Fortunately the effects lasted only two days, during which there was no sign of life from the culprit, before Pepper was back to her usual immaculate state. When Loki showed his face at the Tower again, Tony questioned him and he didn't deny it. He actually seemed quite pleased with himself and he was lucky Thor was in the room or... Something bad would have happened! Loki had to work overtime before he pacified Tony again and got a response from him only a day later, which for the trickster seemed like a lot longer. Yet, that didn't stop him from locking on target number two and this was one which he'd laughed at. What was it that Clint did again?... Oh yeah. He was teasing Tony about his and Loki's _growing friendship_. They weren't even aware the god of lies was in the room with them until they head an angry hiss and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent jumped to his feet like he'd been burned. A long black cobra wound around his back where his bow had been a moment ago and hissed close enough to his ear for the human to feel the forked tongue against his skin. Clint wasn't particularly terrified of snakes but he sure didn't have any love for them and having one coiling around his throat wasn't helping at all. And then there was Loki, laughing in the corner of the room at the agent's attempts to free himself from the cobra's hold. At first Tony thought this was the day Loki was going to become their enemy again but then he realized the snake wasn't reacting violently. It was hissing and spitting but it didn't strike once even if it had a clear, unobstructed shot at the man's throat. It didn't constrict enough around Clint's throat to cut his air-way either... He glanced at the laughing criminal and wondered...

Of course Agent Barton didn't see it quite that way and as soon as he'd dispelled the deception and had his bow back, he'd fired a hail of arrows at the trickster who vanished just before the deadly points found their target. Tony's eyes moved in the direction of the wall which took the blunt of the attack and counted the holes made by the removed arrows. There were five, all circling the same point. Loki's heart. He couldn't deny that he'd felt a little relieved when the silver ends didn't reach their mark and wondered why Loki was being so reckless. It didn't seem like him to rile up dangerous enemies just for the hell of it, unless he had something to gain or a clear way of escape. It wasn't like the trickster didn't pop up again after that and it wasn't like Clint didn't fire at him again until he calmed down and agreed to let bygones be bygones. Not before he warned Loki to keep his magic off of his bow which the trickster turned into a most insidious innuendo, naturally.

Then there was the trick played on Steve... Tony cracked up at the memory alone, certain this was Loki's crowning jewel to date. It wasn't a secret he and the Captain shared a rivalry of sorts, though after working together it had turned into a friendly tug-of-war, and sometimes they ended up getting on each other's nerves. The others learned to ignore them and let them cool down before they'd spring back to their usual selves and all was right with the world again. But that one time the discussion became unusually heated up after Steve mistakenly mentioned Tony's father. He didn't mean to fight but the subject always brought the worst out of the genius and, as luck would have it, Loki was present as well. The trickster was drinking his favoured cup of mint tea but he stopped once the subject turned to Stark senior. He'd pretended to take no interest but Tony could see his entire body become tense. It was almost as if his father had been neglectful of him rather than his own son...Then again, from what he'd heard and read, Odin didn't deserve the father of the year award either. Maybe that's why Loki acted out...Or maybe it was because Tony has still been angry at Steve the next day because of their previous argument. He didn't like being compared to his father and he hated being reminded that he'd been left behind for the "greater good" even less. So what if Howard Stark's efforts helped tip the scale during WWI and later WWII? He was still a failure of a father and that's all Tony remembered, his absence.

Loki put extra effort into getting at the good, naive Captain and Tony couldn't help thinking it was because of him. He'd personally gotten involved while he usually seemed to prefer playing tricks from a safe distance. He doubted the trickster would have cared much had he not been the one on the other side of the fight and it made him wonder again... He'd been in the room when the breath-taking woman walked through the open door of his living room. He'd been so stricken by her midnight black curls, her freshly cut grass green eyes, her snow white skin and her Greek goddess figure that by the time he regained enough sense to ask who she was, she was pressing her wild cherry lips to Steve's equally shocked ones. Stark remembered gasping and his eyes widening in silent bewilderment. It didn't take a genius to see she was doing something right because, despite being a perfect gentleman and all that, a moment later Steve clearly responded to the kiss. His hands somehow found their way to the mysterious beauty's angular hips and stayed there. There was nothing innocent about that kiss and Tony knew what he was talking about.

In hindsight, he should have realized who the woman really was long before she revealed her true identity. Wasn't she dressed in black and green leather, revealing just enough skin to make things exciting, which had an outer worldly quality to it? Gold thread stitched the Amazonian get-up, clearly designed with battle in mind, and a gold chain held together a fur cloak cascading down her shoulders. Considering her arms were bare, minus the gold bangles and the black leather guards stretching from her middle fingers to her elbows, she only had a plunging necklace around her neck which attracted the eye to her scarcely hidden cleavage and the material of her clothing ended just below her thighs, leaving her legs bare to the knees where her high-heel black boots took over, the thick looking fur was the only defence against cold. Not that Stark had been pondering THAT at the time... He wasn't a peeping tom, and he was proud of that little decency he managed to retain during all his years of decadency, but something was keeping him glued to the spot while the Captain was making out with a woman straight out of a fantasy. It was because of this he had a front row view of the show yet to unfold, oh and what a show it had been!

The illusion melted before his very eyes, the mirage of the beautiful woman drifting away like mist and leaving behind a beautiful man. Tony's jaw dropped when he saw Loki's body held tight by an oblivious Steve, their lips still passionately pressed together. In all honesty, he wasn't sure how he felt about that... He did feel a pang of something which he recognised as envy but it was so fleeting he doubted it had been real. Why would he care if Steve fornicated with the god of lies anyway, as long as his friend wasn't put in harm's way of course? He didn't! He didn't... Though he did exhale a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding when reality finally dawned on the blond and he pushed away from the other body so quickly one would think Loki's magic bit him. The sheer horror on Steve's face before he ran practically screaming for the hills, leaving Loki with a satisfied smirk on his lips... Hilarious! He gave Tony a challenging look, his tongue licking his upper lip in a way which could only be considered provocative before, like always, he faded into thin air. That look played a lot on his mind... Especially at night. He wasn't even sure when Loki began invading his dreams as well as his tower and he was less sure why he wasn't putting up better resistance in both cases. He just sort of accepted the other's presence in his life, like a stray cat which suddenly showed up one day and he continued feeding it even if he complained about all the trouble it caused. It just didn't make any sense! Unless...

He dropped the screwdriver from between his distracted fingers at the realization. Hot damn, he was-

* * *

Thor found it strange to walk down the crowded New York streets, and not only because he was attracting a lot of attention even if he changed his Asgardian, princely attire to that favoured by the Midgardians. It was the actual, mundane walking itself which posed a problem. He'd grown used to using Mjolnir to travel and being told he couldn't fly around New York willy nilly, as Clint put it, was an inconvenience. Still, he did see the agent's point... Asgardian technology was alien to the Midgardians after all and it wouldn't do to attract unnecessary attention. Not everyone on this small planet was as pleasant as the Avengers and he would have to be a complete idiot to think otherwise. Besides, Tony warned him that should he crash land in his home again he was going to personally set fire to his cape and shave him bald. The scary part was, he had no doubt in his mind the billionaire would do it too. He'd learned from countless experiences not to take threats idly, especially when they involved such open mischief. Loki had taught him that much... He smiled softly to himself when his previous assumption was once more confirmed. The two really weren't that different.

He was walking back from Lady Jane's place, despite it being two bus rides away from the Stark Tower but for Thor this was nothing but a pleasant stroll. If he so wished it, he could have sprinted from one place to the other in less than an hour. Running that distance was child's play for a warrior forged in the heart of battle but he wanted to think a little and the night air was very pleasant. He missed the feel of his cape swooning behind him though... If Mjolnir was attracting attention then his clothes might as well have been fitted with glowing lights. However it wasn't so bad. It was just like when Odin banished him to earth and Dr. Erik Selvig was kind enough to lend him a change of clothes after being unjustly imprisoned in that place they had the audacity to call a hospital. It was better than then, if he was being honest, since Selvig was not as broad at him and his clothes had been too tight. Without that, the camo pants and the khaki shirt were quite comfortable and notably lighter than his leather armour.

By the time thoughts of his troublesome little brother entered his mind, he was in a fairly good mood and not even Loki could bring him down. Quite the contrary. Thor may not have been as sharp as the green eyed imp but he was no idiot either, despite common misconception. He wasn't blind to what was happening between Tony and Loki and he felt like throwing his hands in the air with joy. No matter what the Iron Man claimed Thor could see Loki's relentless attempts to charm were getting to him. He'd caught Tony glance at the god in a way which screamed of thought far less innocent than mare friendship on several occasions. And lately when Loki appeared Tony wouldn't automatically become weary and apprehensive. Thor could see how he'd perk up, though he hid it exceptionally well, and surreptitiously closed as much of the distance between himself and Loki as possible without crossing any lines. He probably didn't realize it himself yet. Thor's smile turned goofy like a child who was given an early Christmas present.

The puzzle pieces were almost ready to fit together.

* * *

**Thank You very much for the read! U have 4 chapters left and a lot of things can (and will) happen during those pages. X3 **

**HAVE A LOVELY DAY! **


	7. Chapter 7

**I was just re-reading this chapter and u guys are in for a treat! X3 (well, i hope u'll like it anyway...cross my fingers! XD) Thank You very much to all of u who have been so incredibly supportive up to this point and i can only pray that will continue until the final chapter. X3 So on that note, please keep reviewing and enjoying this story. **

**HAVE FUN! XD**

_**7**_

'Come on man, you have to forget about it. At least for tonight. Just be you're usual, annoying stubborn, frustrating, insane-'

'Do you understand what a pep talk sounds like?' Stark arched an eyebrow at his best buddy, Rhodey, who chuckled.

'Who said this was a pep talk?' Tony couldn't argue with that so he kept quiet. He took a swallow from the half-full glass of scotch instead, letting the amber liquid burn along his tongue and down his throat in a satisfying way. The other man looked at him in that way he did whenever Tony was doing something troubling again but this time Rhodey wished, and he would never admit this to anyone ever after that night, the billionaire would do something explosive. He hoped Tony would come out of this strange, atypical shell which made him so sullen. He wasn't mopping but he was far from his usual self... The sort which spelled trouble whenever making an appearance. 'But seriously Tony, this is your party. Enjoy it!'

'What makes you think I'm not?' But he saw the soldier's point. He just wasn't in the mood to get drunk on expensive, good-quality alcohol and party with a dozen of smoking hot women. Was that so hard to understand? Besides, it was technically speaking Pepper's party since it was a company thing and he had left her in charge of the business in all but name. That explained the class...Had he been in charge of the planning comity it would have ended up as nothing but a wild hangout as his mansion probably. But this? Oh this was a fancy ball straight out of a fairy-tale.

'Of the top of my head? You haven't finished a single bottle of anything yet, you didn't flirt with the red-head who was most definitely interested and, this is where it gets scary, you missed a golden opportunity to show off your suit by showing up at the party in a tux. So who are you and where the hell is Tony Stark?' The man in question smirked at the other and took another drink from his glass. He was fine!... Mostly. Rhodey was exaggerating.

'All very valid points. So tell me Dr. Rhodey, where did you get your diploma in psychiatry again?' See? He was more than capable of dishing out a quip any time of the day!

'Missing the point.'

'I would have said internet.' The soldier had to roll his eyes at that but his lips did curve slightly upwards at the familiar mockery in Tony's tone.

'Tony-' He became serious, genuinely worried for his friend. He had a pretty good idea what was causing this state, having had to go through a few himself in his time, but he didn't know who was responsible. He'd asked Pepper and she danced around the question making him all the more curious.

'I'm fine Rhodey. Honestly. And to prove myself, I'll go mingle right this second and trash the place and cause a fire. Would that be satisfactory?' The genius gave him an easy, practiced smile.

'It's a start...' They clinked their glasses together as they chuckled. 'Just remember, it takes two.' Stark nearly choked on his drink but Rhodey was already drifting away, swallowed up by the growing horde of guests. He didn't have to ponder the words for long, the meaning was obvious. He made a note to self to practice acting natural in front of the mirror because if even Rhodey saw through him then those were dark times indeed.

He retreated further into his corner, preparing himself for a long night of pretend fun. It wasn't like he didn't like parties, most certainly far from that! He'd just been a little out of it over the course of the last week and the troubling part was the reason for his gloom. Once he'd come to the realization that he was falling, on some messed up level, for Loki he'd tried to push those emotions as far away from his heart as possible. He'd avoided the trickster the first two days, holding him accountable for the thoughts infiltrating his dreams in the dead of night. He didn't know what Loki's game was but he was certain this was all some elaborate hoax or prank. It wasn't like he'd forgotten the god's disdain at the human race. If memory served correctly they were all ants to be crushed under his boot so only a complete moron would think Loki's show of affection was anything but that, a show. And still, was it really only an act the way Loki looked after him when he would turn his back on the trickster?

Loki probably realized Tony was avoiding him on purpose and he hadn't shown up for the remaining of the week. Four days and he hadn't seen even a glimpse of the evergreen eyes. He couldn't believe how wretched the idea made him and he wanted nothing more than to claw at his chest and rip out his traitorous heart. The flesh and blood one, the human one still beating beside the mechanical one keeping its drumming sibling alive. Thankfully, it had been a rather busy week for everyone and he was able to deal with his issues privately, not that he had much success in that. He mostly burned away the days in his workshop or with some expensive brandy in the evening, postponing sleeping as much as humanly possible. It wasn't like he was some love struck teenager! He denied ardently the possibility of what he was feeling for the other man as anything even remotely in the vicinity of love. No! Perhaps he'd taken a liking to the guy but that was as far as he was willing to go, pointedly ignoring the voice at the back of his head which always whispered the truth no matter how much he wanted to cover his ears to it.

Rhodey was right... He had to shake himself out of this pathetic state and by Einstein's ghost he was going to do it! Signalling to the nearest waiter, Tony swiped a glass of Champaign off the silver tray, threw it back as if it was water and before the young man could even blink he replaced the now empty glass with a full one. He gave the boy, because he doubted the waiter was older than twenty at the most, a practiced, warm up grin. Yep, he still had it. The youth stammered to return the smile, awe obvious on his face. This was the great Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, he was serving after all and it was unnerving to say the least. Tony felt his usual flair of confidence surge to the surface, his shield against the world, and armed with his classy glass of golden Champaign he stepped into the eagerly awaiting crowd, deciding to at least attempt forgetting his groundless worries at least until he had to close his eyes again.

* * *

'Oh, please excuse me. I have to take this call.' Tony smiled apologetically to the hazelnut eyed woman in a shamelessly revealing amber dress. He didn't even know such low cuts existed...Not that he minded the view all that much. He smoothly pulled his mobile out and brought it to his ear, turning away from the expectant woman. She'd told him her name but for the love of him he couldn't remember a single word she'd said. He named her Hazel because of her eyes, even his creativity taking a leave of absence, and made a note to self to avoid her for the rest of the evening. It wasn't that she wasn't pretending to be a nice person, everyone was nice when they tried to get under your skin and find your secrets, but she'd been talking about horses for the past ten minutes. Without pause.

'Yes?' He knew she was still looking at him, her ginger curls draping across one side of her face like a curtain which begged to be pushed back by a daring hand. Everything about her screamed raw sexual excitement and any other night Tony would not have missed an opportunity to tap that but his head was just not in the game. He found himself erasing the hazel colour of her eyes and painting them a glass green and replacing the fiery orange of her strands with onyx black ones so dark they seemed to shine a dark blue when exposed to light. Her skin was pale so that was okay...

'Sir, did you push the _get out_ button again?' JARVIS' smooth voice drifted into his ear. He wasn't particularly proud of this, but he'd installed a small button into the back of his phone a while back which when surreptitiously pressed would start the G.O. protocol. It allowed him to get out of situations, mostly responsibilities and talks with people, in a way which absolved him of any blame and wasn't entirely rude to whomever was responsible for initiating the G.O. It was quite a genius move if he could say so himself, though Pepper seemed to strongly disagree and always called him on his bluff. Well, it wasn't a perfect world...

'I'm sorry but this is not a very good time.' Tony pretended to listen attentively to the words supposedly spoken.

'This is the sixth time in two hours. I do believe you are breaking a personal record.' Tony resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his artificial butler's sarcasm, even if he was the one who'd manually installed that side of his character.

'Are you certain you can't find someone else for this job?'

'I think congratulations are in order.'

'No? Alright then. I guess I have no choice. Bye.' Tony clicked the end-call button and turned back to 'Hazel' with a regretful look worthy of an Oscar. 'I'm really sorry to have to do this but I have to go.'

'Is everything alright?' Instead of looking dejected she looked worried and Tony patted himself on the back for getting out of yet another sticky situation. She'd been openly flirting with him, clearly expecting something to happen, and he wasn't quite ready to say no and ruin the reputation he'd build up over a lifetime of loose morals.

'Oh yeah! It's just some work related paper mountain which needs my urgent attention. Very boring stuff. It was a pleasure meeting you and I hope you enjoy the rest of the party.' She smiled charmingly at him, obviously giving it one last try at getting invited for extra curriculum activities later, but her hopes were for naught since Tony returned the smile before taking his leave and putting distance between himself, careful not to run into one of the other women who'd been flirting with him only to be interrupted by a most important work related call. In the end he decided to head to the balcony, certain he'd be safe there and he was also in need of some fresh air. His head was swimming a little from the alcohol and, for once, he didn't want to claim the spot light. Pepper would be so proud! He'd really matured.

'Spinning a web of lies are we?' Tony froze, his upper frame supported on his elbows which were pressed against the stone railing. Artistically rounded pillars supported the stone frame of the rail and veils of jasmine streamed down over the side of the building from between them. Very tasteful, like the rest of the décor, as expected from Pepper. But he wasn't in the frame of mind to admire the decorations and he remained rooted and silent until the other moved to lean his back against the stone beside him. He threw a frugal look in Loki's direction before re-directing his gaze at the traffic far below them as if engrossed in counting each and every vehicle passing by though he could see little above a blur of red and white lights. The other man was dressed for the occasion and it took some effort on Tony's behalf not to stare. The black suit fitted Loki's frame far too well and the green scarf over his shoulder only served to bring out the brightness of his precious eyes, shining like jewels in the night.

'What do you want Loki?' He silently congratulated himself for his stone cold tone, which did not reflect his internal turmoil in the least, and for his apparent detachment.

'Is it possible that I just happened to be invited to this gathering also and have no other ulterior motive for my presence other than to honour my invitation?' Loki was keeping his eyes on the guests inside the glowing rooms. He'd placed a simple enchantment over the doors separating the balcony from the rest of them which should prevent anyone from inside seeing a glass door at all but just another white wall. Such a simple illusion was child's play though it held only as long as nobody actually touched the fake wall but he doubted that would happen.

'Ha. After that stunt with Pepper's hair you can kiss your invitations to any of her parties goodbye. I'm still surprised she hadn't set a pack of rabid dogs on you the moment you showed your face at the tower again.' Tony smirked at the idea, earning a small scowl from the other, and glanced at Loki again. This time their eyes met.

'It's hardly my fault she can't take a simple joke. The effects were not permanent, though they could have been had I wished it.' Not only that, but no matter how many times Pepper would cut off her hair, the new strands would grow that unnatural moss green again and again. Loki could be very nasty if he felt like it and Tony had no doubt he was telling the truth, as incredible as that may be, and decided to keep off of his bad list for the time being. He found himself wondering at the trickster's docile pranks by comparison to the stuff he was capable of for the umpteenth time...

'You didn't answer my question.' Tony could guess why Loki was there and he was willing to bet all his vast fortune it had something to do with his avoiding him but he wanted the guy to admit it. He wanted to hear Loki say that he was bothered by Tony's absence and for the hundredth time he wondered why he was torturing himself like that. And for the hundredth time he didn't have a certain answer. Loki was silent for a long time, long enough for Tony to think he wasn't going to say anything further but he didn't contribute to the conversation himself either.

'You've been avoiding me.' When the god did speak, his voice was surprisingly low. Had Tony not known any better he would have said shy but he couldn't picture Loki being coy, not unless he was trying to trick someone.

'So? What of it?' He had to admit, Tony was shocked at the coolness in his voice. He thought he saw a small flinch across Loki's face but it was gone too fast to confirm and the silence was back. It was Loki who broke it a second time.

'You are angry with me.' It was a statement, a matter of fact. Tony couldn't deny it. 'Is it because of the pranks I played on your friends?' He sounded genuinely curious and Tony was torn between throwing a punch or smirking in mild amusement. The guy had that effect on him... He was beginning to make peace with it and a second later his frustration welled at the realization Loki was having _an effect_ on him. Any sort of effect!

'What do you think?' In the end sarcasm was the best strategy. It never, correction, always steered him wrong.

'I seem to recall you finding them amusing or was your laughter a lie too?' Loki's lips twitched into a familiar smile while Tony's quickly pressed into a thin line.

'Not my forte.' Tony remembered Loki using the exact same line that first morning when he'd first appeared out of the clear blues in his kitchen and then held his hands back from pulling out his hair for actually remembering every word the trickster had said. He'd replayed their conversations in his mind more times than he cared to admit, mostly in his dreams when he couldn't stop them from fully occupying his thoughts.

'Aw, don't say that. You were doing a fantastic job a few minutes ago and that holds for all the other ladies too. You seem quite adept at playing pretend and I should know what I'm talking about.' Tony's eyes widened slightly and Loki's grin did the exact same thing.

'You were following me?' The human looked incredulous like he'd just heard money had been rendered obsolete and he would be forced to live under a bridge like a troll.

'You gave me no choice.' For a second Loki's expression became tight, as if those words were enough to justify his actions and they were an impenetrable defence against any accusation. It made Tony positively ready to strangle the breath out of that pretty neck.

'I gave you- You've got to be kidding me! What the hell are you after Loki? Enough of your childish games! I'm getting sick of-' Tony thought he was good at keeping control over his emotions and usually he was a master at it. He thought he'd been doing a pretty good job this time around too but the very sight of Loki send him skidding over the rails like a train going far too fast towards certain destruction. He didn't know what he wanted form the prankster but he wanted something. An admittance...Something! He did not however, expect a kiss.

It took a good few seconds to realize the lips pressing against his belonged to Loki, the guy who was supposed to be his enemy but he couldn't bring himself to hate. They were surprisingly soft, not at all like he'd imagined they'd feel, but he had no objections. Even more surprising was the way Loki waited patiently for Tony to make a decision and deepen the kiss or pull away. He would have never thought the man capable of yielding his desire for dominance to anyone, yet here he was waiting for a human to accept his advances. Tony wasn't ignorant enough to think he could take Loki on in a fight, especially without his suit, and he knew the other man wasn't ignorant to that fact either. It made his patience all the more puzzling. All of those thoughts fired across his mind in the few seconds of bewilderment before his supressed desire spilled free from its pathetic confinement and washed over him.

His lips parted eagerly and they were immediately invaded by a quick tongue, one which betrayed Loki's own eagerness. The verbal muscle twisted against his own, not overpowering it but sharing the sensation. Tony found himself exploring Loki's cool mouth and tasting mint as well as alcohol on the other's tongue. He found he liked the taste a lot. It reminded him strongly of a Mojito cocktail complete with the cubes of floating ice. He held his hands back from doing more than lightly grasping the ends of Loki's scarf, for fear he would lose complete control should any more of his skin come into contact with the other creature's. The trickster seemed to mirror his thoughts. Finally, after what seemed like forever and yet too soon, they pulled apart and Tony hastily let go of the scarf.

'You know, there's no version of this where you come out on top.' After a cool down, aided greatly by the chilly night air, Tony's mind immediately went to a scenario where Loki was just playing a dumb trick on him and he was certain he'd push the guy over the side of the balcony should that be the case. He was just giving him a head's up really... But Loki seemed to be thinking of entirely different scenarios and he chuckled softly, the rumble sending stray shivers up Tony's spine in a not altogether unpleasant way.

'Maybe I don't wish to be on top?' He winked suggestively at a stunned Tony Stark before he predictably zapped away to wherever he was staying. Tony blinked, thinking maybe that it had all been a strange mirage induced by all the booze he'd been drinking but he could still taste mint and alcohol and ice...

And Loki.

* * *

**Come on! Tony can't expect to say that to Loki in the movie and NOT have someone take it in a lewd way! I'm only human... **

**I hope you liked it and u can always let me know if that was (or was not) the case though a review! XD Looking forwards to them**

**HAVE A LOVELY DAY **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys! Sorry I didn't update in the weekend... I had (still have actually) my essay week and things... got hectic, to say the least. God i HATE those pesky things! XD Oh well... three done, three to go. **

**But anyway, (I'm sure u're not interested in my sorry life... U're here for the good stuff! XD) here's chapter eight! Thank u to all who reviewed and supported this story! Believe me, u made this past week much more bearable and i live to fight another day! X3 **

**ENJOY! **

_**8**_

It had been a while since Loki had such a genuine smile stretching his lips, one that reached his eyes, and he admired his own rows of perfect teeth in the bathroom mirror. His hair was still wet from the shower he'd had and it stuck to the sides of his face and neck. He knew from previous experiments other found this look very arousing for some reason and with a smirk he arranged the drenched strands so they looked tidy but with a hint of messiness about them. He instinctively knew Tony would like that and he'd yearn to run his hands through the sleek locks but he'd resist of course. It was all part of the game. The game which was finally coming to a close.

Loki met his own eyes reflected in the slightly blurry mirror, from the steam. He hated hot water but he hadn't been in the mood for his usual cold choice so he'd settled on a pleasant warmth. He also knew from past endeavours that some were unnerved by the natural coldness which settled on his skin and he'd learned to warm it up a little before...initiating any touching. He ran a hand over his bare arm but he wasn't really paying attention to his body temperature. His mind drifted back to two nights ago, on that balcony when he'd thrown caution to the wind and rolled his dice. He wasn't a gambling man, unless the odds were absolutely in his favour without the slightest chance of failure, and he still couldn't believe his own actions. Fortunately, it turned out to be the right thing to do but still...

What if Tony had pulled away? What if, instead of calmly warning him to play fair he'd yelled at him and stormed off in disgust? What if in his moment of spontaneity he would have succeeded in destroying all his patient, hard work? The two words haunted him even if they were only hypothetical. The fact was, Tony had not pulled back, had not yelled at him and had certainly not been disgusted. Loki ran his finger over his lips, his feathery touch barely brushing the skin, and he thought he could feel the engineer's slightly chapped ones there again. It was shocking how much he craved that feeling once more. He'd thought it would ease up his desire for the human but it was like he'd caught the scent of the most delicious meal and he was a starving man. His need only intensified and he knew he'd go insane if he didn't do something about it. Tony had not pushed him back and though he hadn't said it verbally, his body told Loki he craved this as much as himself. He remembered the grips on his scarf. The hands seemed to struggle to keep from pulling Loki towards the other body and they balled rigidly against the fine green material.

Loki threw one last glance over his body and pulled away from the sink, pleased with the sight. He could feel that magnetic pull around him and he knew what it meant. It was time to pay Tony Stark a visit and this time he was going to gamble everything away. It was a win or lose situation but the odds were in his favour.

* * *

The music blared through the speakers fitted into the walls, drowning out all of Tony's thoughts. He liked that. He needed that. His hands worked meticulously on welting the pieces of an old engine together and narrowed his eyes against the shower of sparks when the flame touched the metal. He was wearing a protective mask of course but the light was still very bright, much like staring directly at the sun even if under the cover of sunglasses. He'd tried to work on a new weapon for the suit, something with lots of fire to reflect the mood he was in, but he'd given up on it. He just wasn't in the right mind to think on his feet. He wanted something simple that would keep him busy and provide a distraction. Besides, it was about time he cleared some of the scraps around his work space anyway, having gathered them to restore the motorcycle currently claiming all his attention.

Or at least that's what he liked telling himself because his attention was straining to get away from his rigid control and wander to the actual source of its curiosity. He ground his teeth when he predictably began remembering that stupid party. Alright, he wasn't being fair. The party was a great success and Pepper had done a fantastic job but he needed to throw blame on something. He probably wouldn't have so willingly kissed Loki back had he not had so much to drink, not that he needed a party for that to happen. He wouldn't have been caught off guard like that around the trickster even if he'd began to relax around his company more and more. He knew he was being irrational but he was still fighting the feelings surfacing every time a simple mention of Loki drifted to his ears or mind. He was being stubborn, maybe... He was also a little scared. What if, despite the obvious change in personality, all of this was still some elaborate prank staged by the god of lies? For all his outwards cool and nonchalant attitude, Tony was one of those beings with incredibly fragile cores. He was afraid of letting just anyone into his heart for fear of it being broken. The only one who'd gotten that close to him had been Pepper and that went to the gutters... Even his father was banned access to that part of him and he couldn't see himself allowing Loki, of all creatures in the universe, to wrap his deceiving fingers around his weakest link.

He pulled the mask off when he was done with the welding and inspected his handy work. It wasn't his best, not even close, and he shook his head in defeat. He wanted to cease the piece and hurl it at the wall but outbursts like those were not in his nature and he knew he'd regret that later. He hadn't noticed the volume of the music going down until JARVIS spoke and he straightened his back as if caught red handed stealing a treat from the cookie jar.

'Sir, are you feeling alright?' He had to smile slightly at that. JARVIS wasn't capable of emotion of course since he didn't have a biological existence but he was intelligent enough to read the emotions of others. Tony hadn't even installed that program. JARVIS developed it on his own and for a moment the summery of Terminator flashed through his mind. Well, if he was going to go down in history for something it might as well be the creation of the artificial intelligence which will eventually lead to mankind's destruction. American hero indeed...

'Fine JARVIS. I'm just... a little distracted.' He ran his hands over his face, accidentally smearing some oil across his cheek. He reached for the clean rag nearby and began wiping at the stain, hoping he wasn't making it worse instead of better. It wasn't uncommon for him to look like a homeless person after spending too much time in his work shop...

'Would that have anything to do with me by any chance?' Some part of him must have been expecting for Loki to appear because all Tony felt was mild surprise. His hand continued to rub at his cheek until he was content there was no oil mark left and only then did he turn to face the taller man. His eyes lingered a little on the wet hair and he felt his finger twitch with the need to run through the slightly tousled locks.

'You're overestimating yourself again. Narcissism is considered an ugly trait here on humble Earth.' Tony sounded weary because he was but he played it cool. He'd already snapped once in front of Loki and he had no intention of letting that happen again.

'Earth may be many things but humble is not one of them. You people practically re-define greed and chaos. Why do you think I love it here so much?' The trickster moved around the room, his fingers lightly running over the edges of tables and opened boxes of tools in a way which drew Tony's gaze to them. When he managed to look away he noticed Loki was watching him, a playful smirk on his lips. Well too bad, because Tony was in no mood for games. There was a sentence he thought he'd never say...

'I don't know. Why do you? What is keeping you here anyway? You're no longer in jail, for god knows what insane reason, so hurry up and get lost.' Loki's steps hesitated and his fingers tensed slightly. The almost surreptitious flinch was also not lost to Tony and he almost flinched himself at the ice coating his voice.

'What if I'm already lost?' The words were so soft they nearly went unnoticed but the human heard him. He didn't answer the rhetorical question though. He didn't know what to say so he did the one thing which usually worked in a situation like that. A swift change of subject ought to do the trick.

'What did Natasha do to get under your skin?' Loki's eyebrows knitted together a little at the mention of Agent Romanoff's first name, said so casually too.

'What do you mean?' Loki knew damn well what Tony meant but he wasn't about to make this any easier. The human scowled at the smirking trickster and crossed his arms over his chest in a not-in-the-mood pose.

'This morning her breakfast turned into a swarm of black spiders.' Loki's lips twitched but he held back from laughing. It did nothing to calm Tony's already burning temper but he held back from the sure to come outburst. He hoped the guy would just vanish like he always did, when he saw fit like he owned the damn place, and he'd avoid a possible confrontation. His rational side was making the very good point that getting on Loki's bad side could spell not only the end of him but the end of New York. His irrational side vetoed the troubling notions and told him to gear up and make multiple dents into his wall perfectly moulded around Loki's face.

'I do seem to recall something like that...' Loki made a show of casting his mind back and Tony's muscles visibly flexed, ready to strike any moment.

'You think this is funny?'

'A little bit. Yes.' Loki leaned back and sat on the table behind him, mostly clear of the clutter which seemed to occupy every nook and cranny of the rest of the room. His long legs just barely touched the floor.

'Well it's not! Not even in the slightest. She could have been injured. Those spiders could have been poisonous.' Even as he said it Tony knew he was grasping at straws. If Clint's cobra hadn't been out to kill then he doubted Natasha's spiders were. Still, it was damn disgusting. It was the first time Tony heard the agent make a noise that sounded anywhere near a scream though he was almost certain it was because of the shock rather than an actual arachnophobia episode.

'If I wished to kill your friends, believe me, they would be dead. Those spiders were simple illusions and they changed back to cereal flakes a few minutes later, correct?' He couldn't deny that... But he tightened his jaw when he remembered having to clean up scattered cornflake from all over the kitchen floor where the spiders had crawled away. Some were still probably around under the counters.

'And you think that justifies anything?! Well let me tell you, it does not. What did you hope to gain anyway?' Loki was no longer smiling, his facial expression deceptively calm, like the surface of a lake housing a terrorising monster in its depths. He examined Tony for a long minute, his eyes boring holes into the human's. Tony held the gaze, driven by his stubborn nature.

'You two were very close. I didn't like it.' The matter of fact answer threw Tony off for a moment but when he regained his senses all he felt was burning rage. He wasn't sure when his hands fell by his side but they balled into tight fists, the fibres along his arms cording like iron ropes. He'd never felt such a burning urge to hurt someone before, not even in the heat of battle. During a physical confrontation he knew he had to defeat his enemies because others depended on it but now he wanted to cause harm for himself. He wasn't aiming to defend his victimized friends. He just wanted to see Loki's face contort in pain.

'No wonder you got kicked out of Asgard. Are you even capable of feeling anything other than selfishness, narcissism and cruelty!? You're evil, plain evil. And the one thing which absolutely baffles me is that you seem completely oblivious to it. You keep justifying your actions and throwing blame on Thor or Odin or whoever because the cold truth is you're too much of a coward to face facts. You are a monster Loki and you can't change.' The venomous words poured out of his mouth like blood from an open wound and even after realizing he was being unnecessarily cruel he couldn't stop. He watched with a sick satisfaction as Loki paled, even the bright green of his eyes seeming to lose their spark. The sentences broke free from his larynx and burned his throat and tongue like bile, making his stomach constrict in a nauseating way. He never thought himself capable of such... maliciousness.

When the last word left his mouth he swallowed back the urge to throw up, horrified to find he was capable of making anyone look like Loki was in that very second. The god seemed to have turned to a ghost, his skin was so drained, and he didn't seem capable of making the slightest movement. When Tony stormed out the glass door, the last remains of his broken anger burning strongly enough to get him moving, the trickster didn't show any sign of having noticed in the slightest, his eyes frozen on the spot where Tony's had been a mare second ago.

* * *

Thor was just walking into the base when he heard the shouting. He only had to throw one look around to realize he was alone, with the exception of the source of the noise. He recognised Stark's voice but that didn't make much sense... Stark didn't shout. He preferred to cut his opponents to ribbons with a few well-placed insults in the form of sarcastic comments. He was all too familiar with that sort of attack, courtesy of Loki, and he knew how much more devastating it could be. Yet, the closer he got to the source of the yelling the more he realized that yes, the voice was indeed Tony Stark's. What could possibly have upset him so greatly? But as soon as the question entered his mind the answer flashed a bright green. Loki. He hoped he was wrong but he knew he was not and with a growing daunt he neared the stairs which lead to Tony's personal work space. He was at the door when an almost eerie silence settled over the base and he suffered a pang of panic in which he pictured Loki resorting to violence and...But before a bloody depiction of Tony could be painted inside his head the door swung open and he was face to face with a very furious, yet at the same time sickly greenish, human.

'Stark, what has happened?' The man looked at him as if he'd never seen Thor in his life before he pushed past him and began pacing the floor furiously. Thor remained where he was, unsure of what to do. Should he go and see if Loki was okay or leave Tony to himself for a while or ask the question again? Fortunately Tony made the decision for him.

'Loki. Loki happened.' Thor expected as much.

'What has he done this time?' He wasn't about to defend his brother's saintly behaviour because it was far from deserving of a halo. He only hoped Loki hadn't done something which couldn't be taken back... He couldn't even bare to think of the plan falling apart now, after all this time and after all that progress. He'd thought things were going well, albeit a bit bumpy as of late, but one look at Tony and he realized he'd been fooling himself.

'Nothing! That's the problem! What is he aiming at? I don't get him at all. One moment he's ready to subjugate the whole of mankind and the next he drinks mint tea and kisses me on a balcony-' Tony's hand flew to his mouth, too late to stop the confession from blurting out. Thor's eyes widened and he took a step towards the human as if to confirm he was real and what he'd said was the truth.

'Kiss?' Tony became visibly flustered and the hand pressed to his lips fell uselessly by his side.

'It was nothing. Forget I said anything.' But the tell-tale reddening of his cheeks told Thor everything he needed to know. He didn't see any signs of disgust across Tony's face, at least not due to the mentions of said kiss, and his hopes took stronger roots. Maybe it wasn't all lost yet after all...

'You have fallen in love with him.' Tony looked more afraid by Thor's statement than anything else. Every nerve in his body went slack and he looked pleadingly at Thor as if he'd just sentenced the man to certain death. Considering this was Loki they were talking about, it wasn't that much of a stretch... They were silent for a long, long time and Thor noted the way Tony's expression changed from afraid to one of defeat to one of regret.

'Yeah well, it's not gonna matter much anyway. I'm pretty certain I just made sure Loki isn't going to show up around here anytime soon unless she has a fresh army straight out of Hell to rip us all apart.' All the anger left his voice and it sounded hollow. He flinched when he remembered the things he'd said to Loki not even ten minutes ago. Thor opened his mouth to ask for more details but he decided against it. He could see Tony was not inclined to welcome that subject. Frigga's voice bounced inside the walls of his mind and he realized that maybe it was time to tell Tony the truth. She'd told him to wait until he saw any signs of love and he may have waited for too long... In all honesty he'd been selfishly preoccupied with his own love life, forgetting all about his little brother like he had so many times before in the past. He felt his heart beat painfully against his rib cage like it did whenever he failed Loki in some way.

'Stark, I have to tell you something. It may help to clarify some things about my brother's behaviour as of late...' Tony looked at him curiously and Thor inhaled a deep breath before he told the human everything, starting with Odin's punishment and ending with the true reason for their arrival on Midgard. Through the whole thing Tony listened without interruption. 'Love potions are not what you might think. They can't force people to love each other, they only help soul mates find each other. So you see, Loki's feelings for you are true.'

'It wasn't a trick?' Any other day, Tony would have scoffed at the very mention of something as absurd as a love potion but this was not any other day. It was a highly confusing and emotional day and he was exhausted. He stopped trying to understand all the wacky things which happened around the two gods a long time ago and just rolled with it. If there was such a thing as a magical hammer which could call forth lightning why not a love potion?

'I...I don't think so. I know Loki and it has been centuries since I've seen him as happy as he'd been in the last few weeks when you were around. He must-' Thor never got to finish his sentence. He stepped aside just in time before Tony pulled the door open so forcefully the hinges nearly gave way and dashed down the short flight of stairs leading back to his work space.

He hoped Stark wasn't too late.

* * *

**Be honest, how much do u hate me right now? XD But, i can only promise things will get much better very fast and u'll all see that at the end of this week! Until then, u'll just have to take my word for it... XP (I'm not gonna bother u about leaving reviews because I think you all know the drill by now...Please and thank u! XD) **

**HAVE A LOVELY DAY! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Warning: MATURE SEXUAL CONTENTS! (at last! XD) **

**Well, as you probably figured out for the aforementioned warning, it's time for the promised M rated chapter! (bring out the Champagne! XD) Once more, thank you to all who have supported this fic so far and I hope u continue to like it! X3 **

**ENJOY! **

_**9**_

Stark was too late. What had he been expecting anyway? He nearly broke his neck in his haste to get down the stairs as fast as humanly possible but when he reached the messy room, which resembled a garage more than the classy space it had once been, there was no sign of Loki having ever entered it. His eyes were immediately drawn to the least cluttered table but he knew Loki wouldn't be perched on the edge like a graceful cat anymore. Still, he couldn't help the stab of regret numbing him. He moved towards the table like a zombie, his fingers outstretched to touch the metallic edge. He wanted some proof that Loki had been there but there was no warmth left behind. It was as cold as ice but it seemed to sear his skin.

How could he have been so damn blind even when he'd seen the truth from the very start? He knew, somewhere deep inside him, that Loki was not tricking him. That look in his eyes could not be faked, not even by the god of lies, and yet he'd allowed his overthinking brain to ruin everything. He'd convinced himself that someone like Loki could not now, or ever, change and he would only bring misery no matter where he went, conveniently forgetting that he was a creature with a heart too, albeit a cold one. If he was capable of making the transition between Merchant of Death and Iron Man why shouldn't Loki be? What gave him the right to deny him even the chance of it? Every question was more painful than the last and each sharp word lacerated his already bleeding heart. His upper frame leaned forward, his hands pressed to the metal surface devoid of any warmth, as if the weight of his guilt was suddenly too much to bear upright.

He let his eyes close for a split second, not fighting the crushing remorse, and it consumed him like unforgiving fire. He sought relief in the memory of Loki's smile, the honest one, and the way his eyes had pierced him on that night on that balcony. If ever he doubted Loki's true intentions, that kiss should have convinced him. He knew what a pretend show of affection was, having been on the receiving end and on the giving end plenty of times with his various romantic partners, and he knew Loki's had been anything but that. He knew it and yet he'd still managed to convince himself that he was being a fool and the trickster was just exceptionally good at playing games with others' emotions. He brought his clenched fist hard down on the table, making the various objects jump and some fell to the floor with a loud clatter.

He immediately sensed when he wasn't alone anymore. All those battles had developed a sixth sense in him, one which Rhodey had tried to describe to him before but he'd dismissed it as the fantasy of a workaholic. He didn't turn around immediately, afraid his mind was getting the best of him again, and listened instead but there was not a sound. Not even a breath broke the unspoken vow of absolute silence. Tony straightened up slowly, even if all he wanted to do was spin around in a 180 degree arc so fast his vision would become dizzy. At last, he turned to face the other man who looked... crushed. Tony felt the burning hand of shame run along the skin on his back when he saw Loki's slightly slumped shoulders and the way his eyes were fixed on the floor. A man as proud as that did not shy from meeting anyone's eyes! It was unnatural...

'I-' Loki managed to say no more. He felt the human move more than saw him. He felt the natural heat getting closer and when he looked up Tony was already in the process of pressing their lips together. Strong hands moved at the back of his head and held him in place, not that he had any intention of going anywhere, before trailing and settling across his cheeks. He gave into the act before his mind even registered what he was doing and eagerly accepted the pushing tongue inside his mouth. The faint memory of their first kiss drifted across his mind but what had once seemed like an amazing experience paled in comparison with the sheer raw passion of the battle currently issuing between their verbal muscles. Loki hadn't expected this, certainly not after he'd thought Tony made it abundantly clear he was not welcomed in his private life. He'd only really wanted to tell the human that he wasn't going to bother him anymore...

Suddenly, Tony broke away and their eyes met. Loki didn't know what to expect and his mouth lay slightly parted, ready to speak but unwilling to shatter the silence. He took the moment to note the determination in the human's eyes that hadn't been there before. Up until that point Tony had been struggling with conflicted emotions but that seemed a worry of the past. The trickster didn't say anything when he felt a grip on his upper arm and he willingly followed Tony, a little impressed at the surprisingly powerful grasp. He expected to be lead to Tony's bedroom or at least the living room couch but it seemed the other man had no patience. He smirked softly when he saw the metal table, rivers of arousal flowing south at the lewd images his mind immediately conjured up.

Tony swiped a hand out, sending everything on the table tumbling to the hard floor, hearing something glass based shatter, and ignored the fact that some of those pieces of equipment were worth more than most people made in a year. The trickster's eyes widened slightly at the show of destruction, surprised to find the display aroused him further, and he reached forth to turn Tony's head towards him so their lips could meet again. The fingers on his arm dug harder into his skin and he hissed into the kiss, the bruising pain adding a certain thrill he liked during this sort of interaction. He couldn't hold back a gasp when Tony bit on his lip, forcing his mouth wider open to give him even further room for exploration. Loki wasn't the sort to give in easily, to anyone and for nothing, but he decided to make an exception just this once. Which was not to say he didn't keep things interesting by offering just enough opposition to make Tony work for the role of alpha male.

'You're not too bad at this.' Loki chuckled softly and Tony raised an eyebrow challengingly.

'I could say the same thing about you.' Loki nipped playfully at the other's lower lip, liking the scratch of Tony's facial hair against his silken skin. 'But I won't.' This time Tony really had to chuckle and the sound sent jolts straight through Loki like only Thor's lightning could. He grinned teasingly and pushed Tony further against the table.

'What do you think you're doing?' Loki paused, a look of confusion crossing over his face. Fear slapped him like cold water. Surely Stark wouldn't stop things now...That would be far too cruel! 'Did you forget what I said before about you ending up on top?' During the short time it took Loki to remember what Stark meant, he found their positions reversed and the steel edge was digging into his own upper thighs. His fear left him as quickly as it came and his grin stretched wider. Tony's hands held him securely, one on each hip, their bodies pressed much closer together but not close enough to feel their growing needs yet.

'No, but you seem to have forgotten my reply.' It was Tony's turn to look quizzical. ' I said, _maybe_ I don't wish to be on top. I didn't confirm or deny anything.' Loki had one of those clearly self-satisfied looks on his face and Tony had to hand it to him, the guy was good at playing with words.

'We'll see.' Loki looked like he wanted to say more on the subject but he forgot his words when Tony pressed him further against the desk, forcing him to sit on it, their tongue greedily twisting around each other. Loki still tasted of mojitos and Tony was certain he could get drunk on that alone. Add the fresh scent which he could only describe as the scent of night though it made no logical sense and the feel of the cold but unbiting ice which seemed to lace Loki's skin like a protective veil and Tony felt his head spin. Daring fingers ventured under his stained t-shirt, once upon a time white, and Tony smiled to himself at Loki's impatience. He pulled back just long enough to discard the pesky piece of material, aware of the other's appreciative eyes roaming over his flesh, and raised a cocky eyebrow at the trickster. 'I'm feeling self-conscious, being the only one half naked here.' Loki threw his head back and laughed, making the human stare in wonderment. He'd heard the guy laugh before, but it had been the maniacal, evil genius sort of laugh. This was different. It was a clear sound like the chime of bells moved by the wild winter wind.

'We wouldn't want that.' Loki began undoing the clasps of his green and black leather armour in an excruciatingly slow manner. When he offered a playful smirk at him, Tony knew this was done on purpose. He was not going to fall into the trap though. He was not going to come off as the overly eager one again, even if he had to clench his fingers into fists to prevent them from tearing the alien garments apart. Loki ran his tongue over his lips while his finger trailed down the side of his throat lazily, half the armour already opened. Tony placed his hands on Loki's thighs but he did not give into his impulse to undress the mischievous imp. Instead he chose to show Loki exactly what kind of pleasure he was missing out on with his little game of procrastination. His palm brushed not-so-accidentally against the god's crotch, pleased to find the sex already in the process of waking up. He kept his eyes locked firmly to Loki's face and didn't miss the way his teeth dug into his bottom lip to prevent the escape of a needy gasp. He pressed a little bit harder and Loki inhaled sharply, his fingers frozen in their taunting play.

'You're not in the habit of making things easier, are you?' Tony's voice was raspy, thick with lust, and Loki's incisors dug into the soft flesh of his lip. He chuckled softly but it sounded more like a growl, his own voice having dropped a few octaves.

'Not unless asked politely.' Loki had a challenge in his eyes and Tony rose to meet it. His lips curved into a knowing grin, fully aware of the thrill which came with being the cat playing with the mouse.

'Alright. Loki, please get rid of your clothes so I can take you so hard you'll be seeing stars and forgetting your own name.' This time a soft moan, almost inaudible, weaselled free past the defence of the trickster's lips and the blood immediately rushed to his cheeks. Hmmmm...So Loki had a weakness for dirty talk. Tony filed that interesting piece of info for later use.

'Since you asked nicely...' The magic wielder flicked his wrist in a dismissive gesture and the clothes, all his clothes, melted down his skin like water causing Tony to step back in surprise. He looks at his hands which had been touching the liquefied clothes a second ago, surprised to find them dry, and was brought out of his wide-eyed puzzlement by Loki's laughter. 'Better?' When Tony's eyes returned to the other man he felt every cell in his body vibrating with excitement simultaneously. Even his wildest dream didn't prepare him for the sight of a fully naked god of lies, with his legs parted just enough to be inviting without being slutty and his upper frame leaning back on the support of his elbows in an unguarded way. Tony felt his mouth go bone dry and he swallowed unconsciously but there was no moisture left.

'I can work with this.' He re-took his position, his hands on the bare thighs, in a flash and Loki rose to meet the human's hungry lips. He threw his head back to expose his neck and Tony took the bait to move his lips down the sensitive skin. He traced the ridged airway with his tongue, leaving tell-tale kisses along the collarbone and upper torso. He made sure to keep his eyes locked with the trickster's half lidded ones. A small smile still stretched Loki's lips but it was diminishing quickly, his teasing attitude paling in the face of his desire. Tony realized this, the tensing of Loki's muscles giving him away, and one hand moved up the inside of the thigh so slowly the tortured god groaned in annoyance. Oh how the wheels had turned... Loki was no longer the cat and he didn't care much for the role of mouse.

Tony considered making Loki beg for it, certain it wouldn't take much to break the other, but then he abandoned the idea. He was still feeling guilty over what he'd said and this was the least he could do to make amends... He moved his fingers expertly along the fully hardened member, applying enough pressure to have Loki throwing his head back in ecstasy. He watched the way Loki's face was overcome with pleasure and the way his lips trembled to hold back the incriminating noises of pleasure. It was a hypnotising sight and his hand began moving faster, setting a rhythm he knew from self-exploration was effective, and grinned triumphantly as Loki's last defences came crushing down. Incredibly sensual moans assaulted his ears and Tony swallowed again, his own _little general_ jumping at every sound. Loki cursed when Tony withdrew his hand, just when he could almost taste the awaited release on the tip of his tongue. He openly glared at the human and, in any other situation, Tony would have definitely taken an intimidated step back but he only grinned wider this time.

'Why in the name of the nine realms did you stop?' Loki struggled to keep his voice steady but there was an edge to it as sharp as glass. He seriously considered throwing a dagger of ice at the human but then he would never reach his climax... There was always something!

'I need to go and get some lubricant. Unless you want it dry.' Tony smirked, already turning towards the door when a cold hand reached for his wrist and pulled him back.

'All you had to do was ask. My talents come in handy in...the most unexpected of situations.' As he spoke, each word velvety seductive, his fingers moved lightly over Tony's and left an oily substance in their wake. The billionaire didn't bother to mask his amazement and when he rubbed his fingers together the skin was slippery with the sleek oil. A strong herbal scent filled the area around him and it mad his mouth water. Mint was the strongest fragrance and everything about that reminded Tony of Loki.

'I want to ask why you know how to do this but I have a feeling I'll regret it.' Loki was half way through his smirk when the sound choked him. Tony's hand was on his member again and the heat was delicious. As a Frost Giant, Loki had a natural low tolerance to heat and he was even more sensitive down south to the point where even Tony's body temperature burned a little, though that did nothing to diminish the pleasure. He knew the dance so he parted his legs further by his own accord, allowing Tony's first finger to enter him. It certainly wasn't his first time with another man and his body was soon accustomed to the pressure, his stifled moans betraying his need for more. Loki had to use every last ounce of his self-control to prevent his hips from bucking shamelessly into the hand but they still jerked slightly and Tony got the message loud and clear.

With the addition of the second digit, Tony was able to begin stretching the tight ring of muscle with scissoring motions and while he was doing it he must have hit _THE_ spot accidentally because Loki's hips suddenly lost control and so did his larynx. Had Loki any reason left in him he would have been horrified at himself for practically fucking himself on Tony's fingers, his hips bucking like the stallions at the castle stables when they were in heat. On the other hand, Tony didn't mind the show at all. Oh most certainly not. He was being treated to a side of Loki never before witnessed by a mere mortal. The always cold, calculating, planning god of tricks broken down into a living embodiment of debauchery. He felt his own need press painfully into the material of his denims and decided enough was enough.

Tony withdrew the hand from Loki's length but the other was too engrossed in impaling himself on the human's fingers to notice and he quickly fished for something inside his pocket. He pulled out a condom and used his teeth to rip the plastic wrapping open. He was Tony Stark! He rarely went anywhere without at least one condom...He'd learned a while back that it was better to be ready because one never knew when Lady Fortune was in a good mood. It was a bit tricky undoing his jeans and slipping the rubber on and his distraction showed through his loss of rhythm. Loki looked at him in annoyance and snarled feraly. Tony only managed to finish his task before he felt two hands on his shoulders, the strength far greater than a typical man's, and Loki was on his feet. He had a second to open his mouth, a question on the tip of his tongue, before he was the one suddenly on his back, the cold metal making him wince. It hadn't bothered Loki at all but his body was better equipped to handle the cold...

'Sorry but I don't have the patience to wait for you.' In a flash of movement, Tony found himself staring at emerald eyes directly above him, Loki's knees flanking his waist. The table was just wide enough to allow for that to happen. He understood what the trickster was after and he grinned to himself, liking the idea though he wasn't about to simply lay there and do nothing. Flexing the muscles in his arms, he moved to a sitting position, his hands moving to catch Loki before he was thrown off his straddled lap, and their tongues met like long lost lovers running in each other's embrace. Loki rose just high enough to guide Tony to his entrance and then swallowed the whole length impatiently, the sudden slap of pleasure so intense both had to break away and moan wantonly. The hands around Loki's waist moved along his spine while Loki's own hands held onto the human's shoulders desperately, the slightly sharp nails drawing blood. Tony's lips settled on the intersection between Loki's arched neck and his shoulder, teeth biting hungrily but easing up when tasting the iron flavour of blood.

Loki couldn't remember the last time he'd felt quite so ecstatic. Not only due to the physical pleasure, though that was a major factor, but the person who was bringing him to the brink of completion with each powerful roll of his hips. His hands joined around Tony's neck and the other looked curiously at him. Loki, not slowing their pace even for a second, placed a strangely gentle kiss across Tony's lips which he could only describe as loving. One of his hands twisted into the inky, dishevelled strands, pulling the trickster closer to him. That gesture of final acceptance proved to be Loki's undoing and he moaned Tony's name into the kiss, though the sound was muffled and distorted. The substance coating Tony's stomach in thin ribbon was cool and it was pleasant against his burning skin. He felt the tunnel tightening even further around him and he gave into Loki's silent demand. He threw himself over the proverbial edge right alongside the god of chaos, consequences be damned!

Tony was happy to let himself fall back across the table, not hard enough to bruise his skin, and Loki followed. He could feel the other's heavy breathing on his neck and shoulder and he subconsciously brought up one hand to run it softly through Loki's hair. He felt like he could stay there forever but the room was quickly getting wintery, the metal supporting them doing nothing to hold in heat and Loki's body continuing to emit arctic chills.

'You know, I've been thinking...' Loki turned to face him, his head still resting on his warm shoulder. 'You might as well move in since you practically made yourself at home already.'

Their joined laughter filled the room.

* * *

**Aw...How cute... (But can u imagine having to explain this later to the other guys? I can totally picture Clint's OoO face... XD) **

**There is another chapter but it's a short 'Epilogue'... Just a nice way to tie things up. You'll have it at the end of the week and officially I'll have to mark this fic as Complete...I'm a little sad about that. Oh well, all good things must come to an end ey? X3**

**HAVE A LOVELY DAY!**


	10. Chapter 10

**And so we have reached the end of our journey! XD I hope it was as pleasant a trip for u as it was for me and for the last time, THANK YOU one and all for your continuous support! I LOVE U ALL! X3 **

**ENJOY! **

_**Epilogue**_

Thor stretched his warrior arms above his head, the impressive muscles notable even under the layer of his borrowed shirt. Then he rubbed at his eyes, dispelling the last remains of what had been a good sleep and settled himself in a vacant chair at the kitchen table.

'Good morning.' He'd learned that was the common greeting among Midgardians when one woke up and he chose to extend his good wishes to the man sitting directly opposite him. Loki didn't make any sign of having heard him, his face buried in the book he was currently devouring the contents of. Thor smiled softly to himself. He recognised one of Loki's most common moods easily. When he got that lost among the pages of a book or scroll it was almost impossible to bring him back to the real world. The tower could have crumbled into dust around him and Loki's only action would be to turn the page over. The trickster held a cup in his other hand, suspended in mid-air as if about to be drunk from but then forgotten. Thor recognised the cup which became known as Loki's. The same cup he'd used that very first day when they'd made an unexpected appearance on Earth.

Thor shook his head in bemusement and rose to his feet again, having decided what he wanted to eat for breakfast. He was already accustomed with the contents of the various cupboards and drawers and took the cornflake box and the milk from the upper cupboard and fridge respectively. He found the idea of the crunchy cereal brilliant and was usually what he settled on consuming every time. Except when Steve was kind enough to make pancakes or they were unfortunate enough for Tony to give cooking another shot. He felt his stomach turn violently at the memory of the last time Stark was allowed near the stove...

The guys were all too kind to tell him to stop since he did just want to make a nice gesture but fortunately Loki had no such problem. Thor found himself looking at his brother again, unsurprised to find him still frozen with the exception of his quickly darting intelligent eyes. Loki'd been living in the tower for nearly two weeks already and, though it had been a little tense at first, the Avengers took a quick shining to him. Without his insane plans to subjugate all humankind and his need to hurt other unnecessarily Loki could be quite a charmer. His cutting tongue was a downer and he still played the occasional prank but they didn't have that dangerous edge which had the heroes reaching for their weapons in self-defence anymore. They'd even asked him for help with one of their most recent missions, his ability to strategize proving to be the leading factor which lead to their victory. If things continued like that, Thor wondered if Loki would one day become an official Avenger. How ironic was that? The group had been created in order to fight him and now they were living under the same roof. The Norns sure had spun a strange fate for them...

The thunderer returned back to his seat, bringing the first spoonful of milk and cornflake to his mouth. He was swallowing when Loki finally took notice of his existence and looked up from his book at Thor as if he'd never seen the man before.

'Thor? When did you get here?' Loki placed the book on the table, his long fingers holding the pages opened at his interrupted passage. His other hand brought the forgotten cup to his lips like it just then remembered what it was supposed to be doing.

'Only a few minutes ago. I wished you a good morning too.' Loki grimaced, the mint tea already long cold, and placed the red cup on the table permanently before he smirked at Thor. But this wasn't one of those smirks he'd usually been shown in the past, full of venom and spite. It was just a gesture of amusement and the older god found himself smiling again.

'How very kind of you, though you don't seem to fully understand what morning is. One in the _afternoon _is not morning Thor.' The blond glanced at the nearby clock, surprised to find Loki was telling the truth. It seemed he'd slept far better than he'd thought...No wonder the base was so quiet. 'Also, Jane called. Apparently you two had a date today.' Thor widened his eyes in alarm, the spoon falling from his startled fingers and clattering to the table only to send drops of milk everywhere. Loki immediately lifted up his book and avoided the assault.

'Damn! I completely forgot. Was she mad?' Loki wondered whether he should tell the truth or lie, and settled on the latter as always.

'Oh yes. Furious. Apparently she had been waiting for this all week and you've really disappointed her. Not your best move.' Loki looked so serious Thor didn't even consider the possibility of it being a lie. He ran a worried hand through his golden hair while he wondered how he could possibly right this wrong. Maybe if he brought her flowers or... A snicker drifted to his ears and when he looked back at Loki he saw the incriminating grin on his thin lips.

'Loki! How much of what you said was actually the truth?' His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance but it was short lived when Loki's clear chuckle filled the room. Compared to some of the lies the trickster had told in the past this was a pleasant how-do-you-do.

'Well, Jane did call and she did wonder where you were. I told her you had to talk with Fury today, something _top secret_. She said you have to make it up to her.' Loki shrugged like this was the most natural thing in the world and in a way it was. Back when the two of them had been close Loki had covered for him countless times when he didn't want to go to a boring meeting or history lesson or strategizing practice. He was still amazed every time the younger god did something nice for him, used to the opposite since the surfacing of Loki's desire to claim the throne of Asgard. It was great having his little brother back and he could only hope the transformation continued down the right path and soon all of Loki's past transgressions would be nothing but a distant unpleasant memory. He could only hope...

'You couldn't simply say that from the beginning?' Thor reached for the spoon again and resumed his eating but his smile was back.

'And miss the opportunity of seeing you nearly get a cardiac arrest? You don't know me very well brother.' Loki realized what he'd said just a second too late and he froze for a moment but Thor chose to do the smart thing for once. He knew Loki was still in the process of righting himself and perhaps he would never be able to call Thor a brother again with absolute conviction but his heart did skip a beat at the Freudian slip none-the-less. He didn't let it show though and Loki smoothly resumed his devil-may-care attitude, his eyes drawn to the inviting words once more.

'I'm glad you're back Loki.' Thor's words were soft and spoken with absolute sincerity. Loki didn't meet his eyes but the older man could see he had heard him. He also knew Loki understood the unspoken meaning behind his words. After a moment, the trickster answered before resuming his interrupted reading and getting lost in the book for the rest of the day until Tony distracted him in the most effective way yet, but a way which only he could use.

'Me too.'

* * *

**Until next time, **

**HAVE A LOVELY BUNCH OF DAYS! **


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